Confessions
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: And there would be problems - there was no doubt about that. But for now, that was farthest thing from her mind. [Old rp turned fanfic!]
1. Chapter 1

**What do you know? Another old rp I'm turning into a fic, because it was just fun and simple and good writing (considering it was done years ago when my partner and I were less experienced). I hardly remember much of it though, so as I'm editing and re-reading I will be as surprised as you are about whatever events happen, probably.**

**Not as extensive or epic as Renegades, but my Blake for this was the same person who was Blake in that story! So expect great things!**

**As usual for my Monochrome rps-turned-fics, Blake's parts will begin bolded and Weiss' will be underlined. It's set back in the good old volume 1-2 days.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Confessions

Chapter 1.

Weiss sat in her bed, leaning back against the headboard as she read through the pages of the textbook in her lap. Normally, she would only have the lamp light of the bedside table to read by, but not tonight.

It was Beacon's semester break of sorts, and students had an entire week off. Consequently, Ruby and Yang had returned home to visit their father, though Blake's parents were away on business at the moment, and returning to her father wasn't exactly Weiss' ideal way of spending her free time.

But now, with the sisters on temporary leave, the two remaining girls could keep the room's main light on for long as they pleased so they could read and not be begged to turn it off. They could also sleep with a bit less fear of being crushed by the beds above them, since the occupants were now absent.

It was odd to have the room be so quiet, but Weiss quickly adjusted. Though she _was_ worried about a few things now that she was completely alone with Blake.

She stole a glance to where the Faunus girl sat also reading, but the heiress had to quickly return her gaze to her textbook. She was still at war with herself about many things regarding her teammate, and didn't want to make things awkward now that they were alone.

So instead, she mindlessly read over the same page of her textbook several times without digesting the words at all.

A good start.

. . .

**For once in her life,** Blake wasn't quite sure how to handle the silence.

In all their tenacity, Ruby and Yang had become a welcome buffer of sorts between herself and Weiss, one she didn't realize she missed until they were out and gone.

That didn't mean, though, that her and Weiss' relationship hadn't improved since that night on the docks. On the contrary, actually. Weiss proved to be a fast learner, if not a bit haughty, but she was trying, and to Blake that was all that mattered.

It was the little things. The corrections, the veiled eagerness to learn - to make things better - was worth more than an apology could ever hope to be, and if Blake had to guess, that's probably how it all started. How that feeling in her gut grew more than it had any right to.

She was being stupid, that much seemed certain, and so she dealt with it. A simple confession penned into a letter that had been her bookmark for the better part of weeks (and she had no intention of sharing if she could help it)…

A letter which she had apparently misplaced.

Blake leafed through her book for what felt like the hundredth time, an exhausted sigh slipping from her lips when her search turned up fruitless once again. Her options from here were slim, but she had to try.

So she pulled herself up from her bed, squishing her feet back into her school shoes. The library. She must have dropped it in the library and if she hurried, she could make it in time before they closed.

"Weiss," she began, voice strained around the lump in her throat. "There's -uh- something I need to check out at the library. I'll only be a minute." She didn't bother to wait for a response and she was out of the dorm in five seconds flat.

The corridors were empty and silent, but she hardly noticed them as she sprinted down the halls towards the library.

_I think I like you._

Who knew five words would cause her so much trouble.

* * *

"Huh? Oh, all right."

Weiss was taken aback by Blake's sudden announcement as she slipped into her shoes and hastily made for the door. Weiss wanted to call after her to ask what was amiss, but by the time her brain could register the thoughts into words, the Faunus girl was already gone.

She had run out still in her sleepwear, and Weiss was a bit unnerved; it wasn't like Blake to be so frantic as to run out dressed in something like that, private attire meant only for the comfort of her room and teammates. She'd expect something like that from Ruby or Yang, but not Blake.

Weiss stared after her as the door closed, leaving her alone. She sighed, not sure if this was to her benefit so she could calm down more, or if she should be concerned.

Closing her textbook, she slipped from beneath her blankets and got out of bed, un-ruffling her nightgown as she got to her feet.

"What's got _her_ all in a tizzy?" she mumbled. "Running out on me like that…" She couldn't help but feel guilty, whatever this was about. Seeing Blake - arguably the most level-headed member of the team - upset made Weiss' stomach flip.

Grumbling, she was about to go prepare herself a cup of coffee from the maker on the other side of the room when something caught her eye.

Crouching down, she reached a hand under Blake's bed to where a small white corner of paper had been peeking out.

"What's this?"

Her fingers brushed over the piece of paper and drew it into view.

. . .

**Closed. She should have known.** The school staff was running on half power, of course the library would be closed early.

At the very least it meant no one saw her walk of shame back to the dorm room dressed in her sleepwear.

Blake tried not to think about it, but it was hard to ignore the tightness that had become of her throat. What could she say? What _was_ there to say besides what she had pushed off all those weeks ago? It wasn't even possible as far as she was concerned. It would only make things uncomfortable between them, especially when they'd only just started to patch things back together.

She didn't want to do that to Weiss. They were friends and that was more then enough right now.

Blake steadied herself when she got back to the dorm, letting out a slow, shaky exhale as her hand reached for the doorknob, her mind already constructing excuses to bypass the questions that would inevitably pop up: closed, tired, a little bit stressed, and she just kind of felt like sleeping - for the rest of the week if possible.

It was the perfect plan, and when she opened the door, setting her thoughts in order, she intended to do just that.

But when she saw Weiss with a small slip of paper in her hands, Blake's heart leapt high into her throat.

Five words, and she had trouble thinking.

Five words, and she couldn't bring herself to say they were lies.

. . .

_I think I like you._

When Weiss turned the paper over, that was what it said.

Initially, she was a bit startled and her heart skipped once. Her mind was misbehaving, letting herself think those words were intended for her eyes.

But the heiress shook her head; surely that wasn't the case. She was getting ahead of herself, letting her emotions get the better of her. Shoulders slumping, she sighed, feeling foolish for getting a bit excited about such a thing.

She got to her feet, and not a minute later, the door opened and Blake stepped in again. Good. Now Weiss could be disillusioned.

As soon as Blake saw her with the paper in her hand, the Faunus girl's face went pale, paler than its usual tone. It confirmed Weiss' fears, that she must have discovered Blake's secret.

"Did you do what you needed to? Also, is this yours?" she wondered, holding the paper out to her teammate. "If so, I bet it was meant for Yang, right? Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me. I won't breathe a word to her."

. . .

**"I-" She stuttered**, but the words she wanted to say never followed, lost somewhere between her teeth, and she swallowed. She told herself it was just Weiss, taking the piece of paper from her hands, but that only seemed to make this whole situation worse.

"The library was closed."

_Yang_, Blake thought. It would be easy to pin this whole thing on her - say yes and never speak a word of this to anyone ever again. Yang would never know, and Blake knew without a shadow of a doubt Weiss would keep her 'secret.'

But there was something about the look on Weiss' face that had Blake scrambling to think of an excuse. One that didn't include her partner.

"And this-"

A breath.

"-it's not for Yang." She looked to the floor, anything to hide the rising blush creeping into her cheeks, and slipped out of her shoes. "It's just something stupid. No one was suppose to actually read it."

_Especially you._

. . .

"Oh?" Weiss blinked and raised an eyebrow as Blake took the paper from her and denied her assumption as to who the message was intended for. With the way Blake was behaving now, Weiss was certain she was denying something in her heart, much like the heiress herself was presently doing.

"Well then, pardon me for prying. But if it's not for Yang then… Ruby?" She could see it, the two of them being the book-lovers they were. Ruby's hyperactivity was a perfect contrast to Blake's more solemn, quiet demeanor. They'd make a precious couple.

Weiss couldn't keep her curiosity down, and her eagerness to know answers was causing her to overlook what was plainly in front of her.

. . .

**Blake's eyes shot up,** locking with Weiss'.

"R-Ruby?"

That was _definitely_ not how this was suppose to go, and her ears twitched underneath her bow. She didn't know what to say, mouth going slightly slack as she stared at the honest curiosity painted across Weiss' face.

Denying this would leave Blake with nothing left to hide behind, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for this, hadn't been able to prepare, and her heart pounded against her chest. The blush deepened and she ducked her head, her mouth going dry.

"R-Ruby and I, we're - we're just-"

_C'mon, Blake, spit it out already!_

. . .

Weiss watched her and finally realized how difficult this was for Blake, how unfair she was being in asking her to reveal her secret. The way Blake had stuttered their leader's name… it was clear she was trying to deny it.

The heiress shook her head to clear it.

"N-Never mind! I'm sorry. I won't tell her, all right? And I won't tell Yang. You know how she can get sometimes when it comes to her sister." She smiled, but for whatever reason, it was a bit harder to keep it on her lips than she thought it should've been. "But, for what it's worth, I think you and Ruby would make an adorable pair. She's a good kid, and you're both responsible. Just be certain to look out for the both of you."

She was ready to let the topic drop with just that, sitting back down on the edge of her bed, plans to make coffee thwarted now by the unpleasant churning in her stomach. Why was she so upset over this revelation? It's not like she-

-liked Blake.

Weiss felt a slight pang in her chest and quickly turned her face away, letting her gaze wander into the cottony glow provided by the lamp, not sure if she could look at Blake right now.

. . .

**The moment Weiss turned** around to head back to bed, it felt like her chance slipped away. Weiss' words seemed to hang in the air, and the longer Blake waited, feet rooted to floorboards, the harder it was to reject them.

Her hands curled at her sides, the small piece of paper that had started it all crumpling in her grasp. After everything, it felt like being thrown back to square one, and she wanted to kick herself for letting things get this way.

Was she really that much of a coward? Had she become such a weak-hearted person that running away was always her first instinctive thought? It was maddening. She was sick of this distance, this self-built wall she'd constructed in order to protect herself from the disappointment of losing people she cared for.

Adam had been hard enough - she couldn't go through that again - but she wanted - _she wanted_ to be close to them, open up and be close to them - to Ruby, to Yang… to Weiss.

"Ruby and I are friends," Blake stated, surprised at the firm tone her voice had taken, and she forced herself to continue before the courage left her. "I don't… see her like that." A steadying breath, and the silence stretched taut. "I think I like _you_, Weiss."

Her heart was deafening in her ears, but at the very least she wouldn't have to listen to the rejection. A Faunus and the Schnee heiress? It was wrong on so many levels, but if their friendship could survive this - if Weiss could still look at her after this - then maybe they could pull this off.

Maybe, and right now, that seemed like enough.

. . .

She was feeling more dejected by the second somehow, and the soft comforters of her bed were beginning to feel more and more tempting beneath her, the lazy light of the lamp causing her vision to blur slightly. Blake denied that her affections were toward Ruby, and Weiss felt a bit surprised; she would have sworn their leader was the one Blake had meant to read that message.

Perhaps it was intended for someone on another team? Beacon _was_ full of outstanding students, after all, probably a lot more Faunus that Blake would feel comfortable with.

Weiss bit her lip at the thoughts, wanting now more than ever to curl up and sleep until-

-until Blake spoke again.

Weiss' eyes went wide and her shoulders stiffened. Slowly, as though she might frighten Blake away if she moved too quickly, Weiss turned back to face her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as a helpless smile plastered onto her lips.

"E… Excuse me? I… don't think I heard you correctly. I must be getting tired. We should get to sleep. J-Just because we're on recess doesn't mean we can shirk our health…" She started to rant aimlessly, not sure if she wanted to change the topic and forget about it or-

-or if she…

…wanted to hear Blake say those words again…

. . .

**She needed to move,** to do something, but she felt frozen even in spite of the flush of her cheeks. It was like she was burning and Weiss' rambling only made it worse.

Repeat it? There was no way…

Her tongue felt like lead in her mouth, and her mind was more scrambled than the eggs they'd had for breakfast, but before she could stop herself the words slipped out.

"I like you," Blake said, interrupting Weiss, and for a moment it felt like her heart lifted, but not a second later the embarrassment came hurtling back. She was positively red, she just knew it. "I mean - I-I know it's impossible and I, in no way, expect you to - to reciprocate. I just don't want you to misunderstand."

Blake smiled, a tiny curl to her lips that she hoped was as sincere as it felt, before hastily making her way to her bed. The covers looked like heaven and Blake wanted nothing more than to crawl underneath them and hide.

It would all smooth over. It had to. Blake didn't want to think about the consequences if it didn't.

. . .

A small, started sound slipped past Weiss' lips as Blake said it again, almost as though she'd been struck by something. She was hearing things, there was no way Blake-

"H-Hold on a moment!" Weiss got up from her bed and stopped Blake on her way to hers, grasping her wrist and the sleeve of her yukata. She could feel the other girl trembling slightly, her pulse flitting quickly beneath Weiss' fingertips. The heiress was frozen, feet rooted to the carpet as she fumbled for literate words to speak.

She swallowed hard, trying to fight off the dizziness she was feeling.

"There…" Her voice was soft, subdued, and she continued in an ambiguous tone. "There… there was no '_I think'_ that time," she murmured.

She could see the girl's bow twitching uncomfortably atop her Faunus ears, and Weiss knew she should let her go, that such action was inappropriate at such a time, but-

-she needed to know.

"What… kind of _like_ is this exactly?" Her voice was calm now, a request, not a command. Curious, not demanding.

She needed to know.

. . .

**Blake's eyes were drawn** to the hand around her wrist. It was cold, but she wouldn't call it uncomfortable.

'What kind?' Blake couldn't help but laugh, an embarrassed little chuckle that probably sounded just as awkward as it felt, but her heart slowed, gaze lifting to Weiss' face. They couldn't be any more awkward if they tried.

"...Isn't it obvious?" Blake smiled then, an actual honest to goodness smile, and tilted her head to the side, ears flicking subconsciously. "Or are you trying to make this difficult for me on purpose?"

. . .

Blake's smile then made Weiss' heart skip a beat, and the twitch of her bow caused the heiress to let go of her hand. Blake's helpless laugh, her words… there was no mistake, then.

Without so much as a breath, Weiss turned and crouched down to the floor, reaching beneath her bed and drawing out a suitcase of hers. With shaking hands, she dragged it onto the bed and opened it in a fluster. She'd previously used it for luggage, but now it contained piles of paper, all folded into neat sections.

"To be honest… I've been writing these for a while now. But I never got the chance to give any to you."

They all contained similar messages written in the heiress' pristine, flowing calligraphy, all words of a similar nature:

_I'm sorry  
I didn't mean what I said  
I wasn't thinking at the time  
I was careless  
I'm sorry I hurt you  
I hope you can forgive me  
_

She didn't know why she was suddenly revealing all of this. But Blake had said something major, and Weiss felt it was only fair to let her secret be known as well.

She flashed a glance to Blake, silently inviting her over to her bed. "

I… I can't give an answer to your feelings… unless you know mine first."

. . .

**Blake followed without question**, taking a seat next to the open suitcase, and plucked a letter from its contents. She unfolded it carefully, looking to Weiss just to make sure, before returning her eyes to the sprawling script on the page.

It took a moment for the words to sink in as she scanned over them once, twice, and then a third time for good measure.

She'd never expected a 'sorry' from Weiss. Blake always figured it would be left unsaid, and the thought never bothered her. That was who Weiss was, but this - she never expected this, and she felt a little blindsided, but the warmth that spread through her chest made it all worth it. Her smile widened, her thumb trailing subconsciously over the page.

"Are you apologizing?"

It was a tease, and she probably shouldn't have, but she was tired and so ready to be done with it all.

. . .

Weiss watched stiffly as Blake plucked through the papers, reading them over and over again with calculating eyes. This was a pretty big deal for the heiress, and Weiss felt her cheeks growing warmer.

"I know I said some horrible things to you. About your people. They were lies, but they were everything I ever knew, and so I believed them. I never even questioned it, never thought of trying to see that there might be a bigger picture in the truth of it all…"

It felt easier to talk now for some reason with Blake beside her, and her letters revealed. So Weiss spoke the words in her own voice.

"I'm sorry, Blake."

There was no way the Faunus girl could ever like the Schnee heiress in _that_ manner. It would cause too many problems for Blake. Weiss couldn't allow that.

But that didn't necessarily mean she didn't _want_ it.

. . .

**Blake slouched, leaning into Weiss.**

"It's not your fault. The White Fang-" She exhaled, gathering her thoughts. "-they're not exactly the picture of perfection either. When I finally realized what they had become, I was scared. When you live with monsters for so long, you kind of wonder if you've become one too, you know?"

She went silent for a moment, eyes focused on the paper in her hands, Weiss' presence an odd mix of cool and comforting.

"But you changed - made an effort to change, and there's no way I can begin to describe what that means to me, Weiss. I forgave you a long time ago."

Her hand curled gently around the paper, conscious of its weight in her grasp. There were so many things she wanted to say, things that really held no weight or rhyme, but this right now - this quiet understanding - was more than she could ever have hoped for, and she wanted it to last. Wanted to try and make it last, for however long that turned out to be.

"I like you, Weiss," she repeated, and despite the blush that spread across her cheeks, Blake found the more she said those words, the less she wanted to stop.

. . .

Weiss was quiet as she felt Blake lean into her, and she'd never heard more truth in anyone else's words before: _When you live with monsters for so long, you kind of wonder if you've become one too. _

Weiss felt she understood all too well, though the monsters she and Blake had lived with weren't in the forms of beasts like the fairytales always made them out to be.

She jolted slightly when Blake forgave her - no - confirmed she had forgiven her a long time ago.

And then she repeated those words. Weiss had thought she'd wanted to hear them again but-

_No. Don't- Don't say it again-_

She felt a warm wetness on her cheeks and looked up at Blake, biting her bottom lip with quivering teeth.

"Blake, don't… don't say that… what am I supposed to say? I meant to keep it to myself, but now I… you leave me no choice but to confess…"

Weiss closed the suitcase and slid it back onto the floor before giving her full attention back to her teammate who leaned quietly against her. Weiss sought out her eyes like the flames of candles and blinked away a tear.

"I like you too, Blake," she sighed. "There. Now I've gone and done it. I'd promised myself I wouldn't do it…" Unable to hold Blake's gaze any longer, she looked up to the ceiling, trying to keep the tears down, trying to grasp onto some false form of strength to keep herself from breaking down completely.

. . .

**A quiet hum spread** through her almost instantaneously, a smile finding its place on her lips as Blake gently nudged closer to Weiss.

"Usually you're the one making me cry," she said, a playful lilt to her tone as she reached up to wipe away a few tears that had escaped. "Can't say I like this change. Crying doesn't suit you."

It did strange things to her nerves to see Weiss like that. The usual stoicism battered away leaving only the raw human underneath, and in the quietness of the room, the sadness only appeared to echo.

But Blake shrugged it off. They had come this far; why not try a little farther?

"I'm willing to give this a shot if you are," Blake muttered a few moments later, her playful tease slipping away for something a little softer. She butted her forehead lightly against Weiss', an encouraging curl to her lips as she waited patiently for Weiss to gather herself together.

. . .

Weiss sucked in another sharp breath. She… made Blake cry?

The comment made her feel wretched until the other girl shifted closer to her. How could she still want to be so close to Weiss, after everything she'd done to her?

The heiress couldn't remember the last time she'd been brought to tears, especially for someone else's sake, but she was certain it wasn't because of anything like this.

Give this a shot? So Blake really wanted to-

No. There was too much. Weiss' father would never approve of her seeing anyone but some wealthy suitor, some son of a business partner. If it was ever revealed Blake was an ex-member of the White Fang…

Weiss shuddered when she thought of what would become of her; if her father didn't apprehend her, surely the terrorist group themselves would come hunting for Blake, and Weiss couldn't-

She stopped her thoughts before they could get too out of hand. She could worry about all of that later. Because right now, Blake was waiting patiently for an answer. Her forehead pressed to Weiss' and her fingers brushed over her cheeks softly.

Weiss leaned into her touch with a sigh. She could feel Blake's breath on her lips and opted to breathe the same puff of air.

"There's… so much that could go wrong, but…" Her eyes were clear and honest now. "I… I want to, Blake. I want to be with you. More than just teammates or friends. I've wanted this for a while now. Longer than I'd care to admit..."

She just couldn't believe Blake felt the same way.

. . .

**There was no doubt** in Blake's mind that there was a lot to consider, not just for her, but for Weiss, too. Cutting ties with a burgeoning terrorist group was one thing, but cutting ties with family - that was an entirely different problem. One Blake would never want to force on Weiss no matter the circumstances.

But the moment she heard Weiss' words - she wanted to _try_, even in spite of everything, Weiss wanted this - Blake couldn't help the full blown smile that spread across her face. She felt weightless, warm, and the honesty in Weiss' eyes only helped darken the blush already dusted across her cheeks.

She was happy, so irrevocably happy that it was a wonder Blake had at one point considered this an impossibility.

Of _course_ she had thought it was impossible. She had never even thought to _try_.

"Then we'll give it a shot," she said softly. "We'll deal with the problems as we go."

And there _would_ be problems - there was no doubt about that. But for now, that was farthest thing from her mind.

* * *

**A/N: Okay so this scene will continue in chapter 2, because it was just way too long to put all in one chapter. Gosh it's so strange re-reading something set back in volume 1 days! The RWBY world was so different then...**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm so mad at myself... I'd edited this chapter really nicely and then it got deleted by accident, so the second time around as the final version is probably crappy. Ugh...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2.

A melancholy air had been brought into the room now with both of their confessions. Weiss couldn't fully believe it - if Ruby were here, she'd probably suggest pinching her cheek.

But Blake's beautiful eyes convinced Weiss it was real, and her presence confirmed everything that had just transpired and been said between them. Weiss was finding it a bit hard to breathe; her heart was pounding, but Blake was probably the same way right now.

And the dark-haired girl was smiling, probably feeling as uncertain and yet elated as Weiss was. Before now, they'd both just wallowed in nervousness alone in their own minds, but now if they could be uncertain together, on top of being honest…

…Weiss thought that wouldn't be so bad.

Without really thinking, she reached up and carefully pulled Blake's ribbon out of her hair, revealing her Faunus ears. But she then realized she probably shouldn't have acted so rashly and hastily apologized.

"I-I'm sorry. I just… I wanted to see _you, _Blake. All of you."

There was a strange feeling curling in her chest now, thick and warm and it made her heart pound faster; she'd never seen Blake in this kind of light before, and Weiss was enamored.

. . .

**She wouldn't call it shame,** but her hands subconsciously reached up to cover her ears. It was a habit developed over the course of hiding who she was, and she knew it would take a while to break.

Even though Weiss had said it didn't matter, the inkling of doubt remained. The two of them were different - came from different places and different people, and her Faunus heritage only seemed to accentuate that fact. It wasn't shame, simply nervousness, but that didn't make this any easier.

It was fine - Weiss didn't see her like that, Blake told herself - and after a moment her hands returned to her lap. Her ears flicked this way and that, reveling in the new found freedom and sometimes she forgot just how good it felt.

_'All of you,'_ Weiss had said, and Blake clung to those words - repeated them softly in her head.

"Sorry," she muttered with a nervous laugh, her hands fiddling with the hem of her pajamas. "Bad habit. I'll get use to it soon."

. . .

Weiss frowned when Blake shielded her ears from view, and she could instantly tell it was a habit; Blake hadn't hesitated a second. Weiss could picture it clearly, that almost every time Blake had removed her ribbon in the past, the immediate consequence had been shouting, cursing, hitting…

She shuddered, blue eyes tormented as she thought about it. But when Blake slowly lowered her hands, Weiss felt a bit better.

Now that Weiss could see them so closely, she realized just how charming Blake's Faunus ears were; the fur was as ebony as her tresses, understandably unkept due to how they always had to be concealed. But they also appeared soft and warm, and they were almost like a reflection of Blake herself.

A minute passed by in silence, and Weiss realized she needed to say something; now that they'd both confessed, she couldn't just let Blake go back to her bed and read for the rest of the evening like nothing had happened.

The heiress went with the first thing that came to mind.

"Why don't you… stay here for a while? I'll brush your hair for you."

Something, _anything_ to keep Blake there beside her a little longer.

. . .

**Her heart picked up running.** She couldn't remember the last time anyone offered to brush her hair, let alone allow someone to get that close to her ears, and they flicked nervously.

"I, uh, sure…" She drawled, but she couldn't help the stiffening of her posture, her fingers lacing together in her lap. Habits could be broken, Blake told herself, and Weiss was only being considerate. They were together - and wouldn't that take a bit of getting use to. It was to be expected that they would grow closer.

And she wanted that. _Really_ wanted that. One step at a time - that's all it would take.

"Just… go easy. It's been awhile."

. . .

"Of course."

Weiss was relieved Blake had opted to stay. The heiress reached over to the bedside table and opened the drawer, passing her hand over her own hair brush and pulling out Blake's instead. Weiss drew her legs up onto her bed and knelt down behind the other girl; this way they could each blush to their hearts' contentment and not have to worry about being seen.

Surely it was a win-win.

Weiss pressed one hand to Blake's back and used the other to slowly brush through the ends of her hair. She made absolutely certain to move with painstaking motions; if she felt even the slightest tug, she stopped immediately and lightened the pressure, refusing to snap so much as a single strand of her teammate's tresses.

"Just tell me if I'm hurting you at all."

She finished the ends at the small of Blake's back and gradually moved her way up to the middle of her back, and then the top of her shoulders, smoothing out the thick, velvety locks of her hair with great care.

Weiss hadn't realized it, but she'd started to hum somewhere along the way. She combed the brush through Blake's long hair smoothly, being sure to keep her free palm on her back, where she could occasionally feel the flutter of the other girl's pulse.

When Weiss lifted herself onto her knees, she paused, unsure of how to go about brushing the fur of her ears. Perhaps just using her nails would be better?

She combed through the hair atop Blake's head in short, slow motions, uncurling any tangles gently as her other hand petted down her back.

Then, she placed the brush at the base of Blake's right ear and lightly ran the bristles over her fur, using her free hand to steady herself on Blake's shoulder, occasionally curling her fingers through her hair. Weiss cut off her hum when she realized how still Blake was.

"Is this all right? Are you… are you okay?"

. . .

**There was a moment of** hesitation in the movement of Weiss' hands, but the slow, calculated motions and the hand at her back had her muscles relaxing. It was reassuring, a simple anchor that kept her tied to the here and now and out of the memories that clouded her head.

She focused on that feeling, on the brush running through her hair, and tenseness in her hands melted, the color rushing back into her skin. Her ears flicked back, catching the quiet hum that escaped her teammate, and the sound was a welcome distraction in the silent room.

The blush on her cheeks burned softly, an inconvenient but not entirely unpleasant warmth, and she was grateful for the fact that Weiss had decided to spare both of them the embarrassment. It was - dare she say it - calming, and Blake lost herself for a moment, eyes slipping closed and a silent rumble worked its way up her throat.

But when the bristles of the brush came into contact with the base of her ears, she stiffened, eyes snapping back open. Their dorm room was the same as always, the dim glow of the lamp setting the place alight in a soft yellow glow. Blake exhaled, a soft stream of breath through parted lips, willing herself to relax, but it was a bit to late for Weiss had already voiced her concern.

"Fine," was Blake's curt reply. It sounded a little too shaky even to her ears, and she cleared her throat, turning her head to offer Weiss a small smile. "I'm fine. Honest."

. . .

As she continued to comb through Blake's hair, Weiss wasn't entirely sure whether she felt the vibrations through the Faunus girl's back or if she was imagining them. Either way, the thought of her purring brought a small smile to the heiress' lips.

However, when Weiss asked if she was okay, it took Blake a second too long to answer, Weiss felt. And even when she did speak up, her voice wavered ever so slightly, but still enough for Weiss to hear it. Surely touching Blake's ears so quickly after they'd just established their new relationship wasn't the best option. There were plenty others.

Therefore, Weiss sat back down on her knees, putting the brush aside on the bed.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have touched them like that."

She could tell Blake was still tense, and Weiss didn't want that. She wrapped her arms loosely around Blake's stomach and pressed close to her back, resting her head sideways between her shoulder blades. Her soft, silky hair on top of the fabrics of her nightgown and Blake's body heat provided the best support for Weiss' head, and she leaned her weight onto her.

"We can take it slow," she murmured. "We've still got a week left until those two come back. And even then, we'll still have plenty of time to figure things out." She squeezed Blake a little and sighed, closing her eyes briefly to listen to the beat of her heart. If she focused hard enough, she thought she really could hear a slight rumble.

. . .

**Blake wanted to retort,** to tell Weiss that she was fine. Really. Nothing a little bit of time and effort wouldn't fix.

But Weiss was right. They had time, and the thought was more than enough to quell the nervousness that had started to bubble up in her gut. It was just the beginning and she slouched forward, Weiss' weight settling against her back.

"All the time in the world, actually," Blake whispered. There was a moment of hesitation, just a second really, but she pushed it away. Her fingers lightly brushed over the back of Weiss hand, the skin smooth and cool to the touch.

"Or as long as you're willing." She laced their fingers together, the hold neither loose nor tight, merely there - a promise.

. . .

Weiss thought _she_ might be the one to start purring at this rate.

"Well, if it's a matter of how long _I'm_ willing-" she squeezed Blake a bit tighter with a sigh. "Then that's a bit longer than all the time in the world."

She felt Blake curl her fingers through hers, and it felt strange and yet so fitting, like puzzle pieces that didn't quite match up but were close enough. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so close to another person, or if such an experience even existed at all.

She was a bit bashful to think of admitting it, but Weiss rather liked this proximity, Blake's warmth, her softness…

Before she knew it her eyes had closed and her jaws parted in a light yawn. She should probably lie down in her bed before she got too comfortable to move-

-but Weiss knew she was already past the point of no return.

In a feeble effort to rouse herself, Weiss mumbled.

"We should… try to get some rest for now."

. . .

**Blake hummed,** a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat that spread through her chest.

Honestly, she didn't feel like moving just yet. Weiss was warm - a rather welcome discovery that only fueled her decision to stay put. It was just Weiss' hands that held a subtle chill, and they would warm up soon, if Blake had anything to do with it.

After years on the streets, in between housing and the family that was the White Fang, Blake had almost forgotten what it meant to be close to someone - to be comfortable with someone - and she rested her head in her free hand, the other tightening gently around Weiss' fingers. She had missed this - this feeling - and she closed her eyes, tried to burn this memory and Weiss' warmth into her skin.

"We probably should," she said after a moment, but even as the words faded, she remained.

_All the time in the world._

. . .

Weiss hadn't had contact in a long time. Growing up, her house was always too big, her bedroom too empty and quiet. Winter was rarely home once she'd started going to school, which had effectively eliminated Weiss' sole source of comfort.

And she could tell by the way Blake was responding that she wanted this too, the knowledge of which only encouraged Weiss to stay put. Blake's heartbeat was calm against her ear, and knowing she wasn't opposed to this made Weiss all the more eager for it. But they really should lie down; they couldn't afford sore backs on their vacation.

So with regret, Weiss pulled herself away, but not for long.

"Let's lay down," she offered, absently pulling at the covers. But just before she made a move to slip underneath, she paused, casting an uncertain look back to her teammate. "Would you… be terribly opposed to stay here the night? Of course I understand if you don't want to. I just figured it was a bit on the chilly side tonight and since we just-" She stopped herself before she could blabber too much.

Instead, she sat with her hands between her knees, waiting patiently for an answer, trying to tell herself she'd be fine with Blake leaving while simultaneously knowing that was a lie.

. . .

**When Weiss moved,** the warmth disappeared, her fingers slipping from Blake's grasp. She turned her head, gaze following Weiss as she pulled back the covers. Blake was staring, of that she was certain, but the haziness of creeping exhaustion kept her from caring.

A small content smile quirked the edges of her lips upward, lost in the feeling of calmness that only seemed to spread, and at Weiss' words.

Blake began to wonder if she was already dreaming. Her ears swiveled forward, intent on catching every word that fell from the heiress' lips. It was only after an awkward silence had settled that Blake realized sleep was still a little ways away. An embarrassed heat prickled to life, painting Blake's cheeks lightly pink, and she looked away - just for a moment.

"You don't mind?"

. . .

Weiss told herself she was prepared for Blake's quite-possible rejection of her offer. But when Blake spoke, Weiss perked up, finding her eyes.

"Of course not."

Slowly, as though frightened that moving too quickly would scare the other girl away, Weiss slipped her bare legs beneath the blankets, adjusting her nightgown accordingly so the ruffles weren't uncomfortable. She wasn't sure if she should be looking at Blake expectantly or invitingly, so she settled for a combination of both. Or at least, what she thought looked that way.

"Only if you're all right with it," she reiterated. "I know this might be… a bit much a bit quickly for you. It might be the same way for me." Her blue eyes hardened in determination then as she made room beside her. "But we've got to start somewhere, don't we? And with those two gone and everything out in the open… what better place to start?"

She looked at Blake hopefully, no longer trying to hide how badly she wanted this.

. . .

**The look in Weiss' eyes** hid nothing, and the ounce of hesitation she felt nearly vanished.

Blake wanted to - Weiss wanted to - and the only thing keeping her from acting on it was uncertainty - a snaking feeling that wound up her limbs, constricting.

Blake swallowed around the lump in her throat, breathing out, and without a word moved closer, taking the spot Weiss had offered.

The twin bed was small, intended only for one, and when she settled next to Weiss, their shoulders touched. Her limbs tensed and she felt so awkward that she was seconds away from apologizing and high-tailing it out of there, but Weiss was warm and welcoming.

It was comfort beyond belief. Her hands fiddled with the edge of the blanket.

"I'm not quite sure what to do, to be honest," she said softly, finding Weiss' eyes and offering a tiny sheepish grin.

. . .

To Weiss' relief, Blake settled in beside her after all. The heiress felt something lift in her chest and her lips curled up into a smile. Blake laid down beside her, and their shoulders touched clumsily, something that suggested the bed wasn't exactly made for two.

But neither was complaining.

"I'm… not quite sure how to go about it either," she muttered. "But it can't be that hard, can it?"

She turned onto her side to face her teammate, pulling the blankets up over the both of them to their ribs. Hesitantly, Weiss reached up to run her fingers through Blake's hair, making sure to avoid her ears, uncertain if she was still uncomfortable about them being touched.

"I still can't believe… this _happened,_" she mused.

As her blue eyes met Blake's piercing golden ones, she felt her heart pound a little harder. She'd never been so close to her but Blake was…

…really something.

A sudden shiver ran through Weiss' body and she quickly turned her face into her shoulder as a petite sneeze surprised her: "Ah-_choo_!"

The mood was effectively ruined.

"Ah… Sorry... Gosh, I'm just a mess, aren't I? You should just go..."

. . .

**Her smile widened** and she stifled a laugh behind her hand, the serious atmosphere practically crumbling before her eyes.

"Can't say I haven't given it thought," she teased. "But you're not as cold as you think. I can handle it. Plus-" She squirmed closer, resting her forehead against Weiss'. "-it's a little late to leave now."

Her cheeks burned, but in the dim light she doubted that Weiss could actually see. A little blessing if there ever was one and if tonight was anything to go by, she'd be blushing quite a bit in the near future, and the thought didn't bother her as much as it probably should.

In fact, it was probably safe to say she was looking forward to it - in an odd, curious kind of way.

Her ears twitched as Weiss' hands combed through her hair and she draped an arm loosely around Weiss' shoulders, all too aware of the heiress' curiosity concerning her Faunus ears.

"It's fine - really," she said after a moment, butting their foreheads together softly. "Just make sure you warn me first."

. . .

Weiss sniffed once, blinking the water from her eyes after her sneeze. Blake was smiling at her, and at last, the weight in the air lifted fully so that all that remained was an elated atmosphere, innocent and curious.

Blake's arm went around her and Weiss shivered a little, her naturally lower body temperature adjusting slowly to Blake's higher one.

"Then… I should probably warn you now."

To be honest, Weiss was probably as eager to touch Blake's ears as Ruby was; the heiress just hid it much better.

Until now.

Carefully, she moved both hands up to Blake's ears, shifting closer to her. With slow, steady motions, she started to rub the soft fur at the the bases and move upward, making sure to avoid the insides. She let her nails brush over them briefly, waiting for Blake's reaction, if she should pause or continue.

"Let me know if you want me to stop."

Because Weiss probably wouldn't be able to stop on her own.

She was thankful for the darkness, but Blake's vision was much better in the night than her own. She could probably see Weiss' blush clearly on her cheeks. If not, she could probably hear the thumping of her heart, and the thought only served to make the heiress more self-conscious, and her pulse beat faster.

But this was so nice, and she wasn't about to stop anytime soon, no matter how embarrassed she might feel. Blake's presence felt so right beside her, and she wanted to keep it that way.

. . .

**Her eye's drifted closed** almost instantly, the light pressure against her ears felt like heaven, and she couldn't help the growing rumble in the back of her throat.

"You're fine. Trust me."

More than fine, actually. With each gentle pass, Blake felt herself slip closer and closer to unconsciousness. She tried to stay awake, taking an occasional peek at Weiss through half-lidded eyes, only for them to close tiredly seconds later, too content to notice the glowing blush across Weiss' cheeks.

She was fighting a losing battle, and the growing exhaustion made her body feel like jelly, but this feeling - Weiss' presence - she wouldn't trade it for the world.

"I could get use to this," she muttered, words drowned in a sleepy lisp as her head tilted into Weiss' touch.

. . .

"I'm glad to hear that."

Because honestly, Weiss could get used to this, too. Blake's smile was irresistible, and Weiss wanted to see more of it; and she would, every waking second of her life from now on, if she had any say in the matter.

She continued to scratch Blake's ears carefully, bringing the girl's head to her chest so she could reach more easily to her ears and still embrace her simultaneously.

Weiss still couldn't believe what had happened - what _was_ happening that very moment. If she was honest with herself, she'd liked Blake much longer than she cared to admit aloud, and to have her here in her arms now hugging her back was a dream come true.

At last, Weiss began to feel a prickling in her arms and she slowed her motions, keeping one hand rubbing over Blake's ears as the other went to brush through her thick hair. She pulled Blake close, resting her chin atop the Faunus girl's head as she closed her eyes.

Weiss wasn't thinking when she spoke next. She was simply lost in the moment, lost in the euphoria of the experience she had longed for for so long, lost in Blake's mysterious scent like a warm autumn night-

"I love you."

. . .

**It didn't register right away. **To Blake in the haziness of sleep, the words sounded like white noise - meaningless in their content, but the warmth behind them, no matter what they were, was beyond compare.

Funny though, it sounded an awful lot like 'I love you.'

Blake opened her eyes, trying to blink away the dreariness. It wasn't a particularly easy task. Weiss was all she could see, her face buried into Weiss' shoulder.

The smell of her shampoo and soap only made Blake want to hold her closer, and Faunus ears swished back, brushing the heiress' cheek. It could have just been her imagination putting things where they had no right in being, but-

"Could you run that by me again?"

. . .

Weiss was still. She could still mend herself now. She could brush off what she had said as just a slip of the tongue, an unfortunate-sounding phrase of words that was merely a trick of the mind. There was no way she could say something with such gravity so early on in this relationship. It wasn't fair to Blake.

"It was… it was nothing…" she murmured. "I'm sorry. You should get some rest now."

Slowly, almost painfully, Weiss let Blake go, let her have her space again. She was rushing things - she knew she was. What if it was all too much for Blake? The last thing Weiss wanted was to overwhelm her because she was too eager for affection after so long without it.

"Get some sleep," she said again, plastering a smile. "Tomorrow we can… figure things out more."

She felt a stinging behind her eyes and hastily turned onto her other side, giving Blake her back now. She wanted to say more, so much more, but she bit her lip.

Weiss sniffed and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come. Just having Blake beside her was more than enough. She didn't need anything else.

That's what she told herself, anyway.

. . .

**Weiss turned away** without another word, and the sinking feeling Blake felt in the pit of her stomach as a result was almost unbearable. Something wasn't right, and her fingers curled into Weiss' nightgown.

She briefly considered turning Weiss around, but her hold loosened and she drew her hands back. Weiss just needed space - they _both_ needed space - and Blake tore her eyes from the rise and fall of her teammate's shoulder, rolling onto her back.

Every now and then, Ruby's bed above them would creak, the ropes taxing under the weight of the bed's frame and mattress, but without its occupant there was no real threat and Blake couldn't help the sigh that escaped as she stared dazedly at the wood above.

She was happy, excited even, for what was to come. There was no doubt in her mind about that, but it would be stupid to think this would be a walk in the park. They would deal with it - sooner or later they'd have to.

"Weiss?"

She didn't know why she was talking, she had nothing in particular to say, but the sudden urge to hear Weiss' voice was impossible to ignore.

. . .

She thought she felt Blake try to move closer to her back, and a hopeful spark lit in her stomach.

But the presence faded, and Blake shifted away.

Weiss was frustrated. She knew she was sending mixed messages - being so close to Blake a moment ago and then suddenly putting distance between them. She didn't know what she was doing. Did she want Blake to come closer? Weiss wasn't even certain herself anymore.

_Why did I say that?_ _I don't know what I'm doing…_

She was nervous now, almost to the extent of being scared. She really liked Blake, and now with the creeping silence and darkness upon them, Weiss was realizing that fact more clearly. She didn't want to mess this up.

A shudder ran through her. She was so nervous. God, it was embarrassing. Why did she feel like she was about to cry?

She sniffed again as Blake called her name. Weiss breathed in deeply, making sure her voice was steady.

"Yes?"

Was Blake already regretting all of this? Had Weiss' blatant confession just now dissuaded her from wanting to commence their relationship? The heiress didn't know if she could maintain her composure and clutched her sheets tightly as she waited.

. . .

**It was a moment** before Weiss' reply, but Blake didn't know just how much she missed it until Weiss' voice broke the silence. A little splash of light in the darkness, and Blake clung to it.

They were both a little lonely - both a little more than awkward - starved for contact that neither of them really had the experience to give properly.

Blake wanted to try. Despite it all, she was content with the fact that they _were_ trying. After so many months with it bottled up inside, there was a certain relief with knowing that the scary part was over. Everything and anything else, they could deal with together. She wanted Weiss to know that.

"I just wanted to, uh-" She swallowed, ears flicking as she turned onto her side to face Weiss' back. It was imposing despite the heiress' size, almost irreproachable in its aloofness, but to Blake in that moment it was a constant, a point she could rely on, hold on to. "To let you know that I'm… happy." She smiled softly to herself. "Really happy."

. . .

She bit her lip, fingers curling around the sheets and uncurling, kneading in uncertainty.

"Happy…?" She repeated in a whisper to herself, as though speaking the word could validate its solidity, its realness.

Happiness. It's what everyone wanted in life, and she was… giving that to Blake? To think that was the case felt wonderful to Weiss. She chuckled softly, blinking back tears.

Slowly, she turned over onto her back and then her other side to face her teammate.

"You…" Her voice sounded too loud for such delicate silence. "You… you make me happy too, Blake. More than Ruby. More than Yang."

Slipping her arms from beneath the blankets, she suppressed a shiver as the cool night air hit the bare skin that her nightgown exposed. She opened her arms toward Blake hesitantly, wanting to feel her close again.

"So then, if you wouldn't mind… would you come closer? And I'll… repeat what I said earlier for you."

. . .

**Weiss' small chuckle** had Blake's heart skip a beat, the look on her teammate's face all but lighting the muscle in her chest aflame.

"I'm glad," she muttered, a tiny smile curling her lips.

It didn't take much thought for her to decide, slipping into Weiss' embrace. Her arms settled around Weiss' waist, a hold that was loose despite its closeness, fingers not quite touching, but Blake couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to - even if she wasn't sure how to exactly go about it.

She pulled herself a bit closer, a hair's width separating their noses. Blake inhaled, Weiss' scent curling pleasantly around her head, and a contented sigh escaped her. It would have been a simple thing to fall asleep then and there, back in the cool embrace of Weiss' arms, but she kept herself awake. If only barely.

"Now, what was that you wanted to tell me?"

. . .

Despite the fact that she'd been the one to invite Blake closer, Weiss still stiffened a bit when she moved in so much, their faces mere millimeters apart. She could see almost clearly now due to this proximity; even in the darkness, Blake's piercing gold eyes were alight like the soft glows of candles.

She settled her arms around Blake's shoulders, loving the feeling of being in her embrace again, having Blake in her own. She'd almost forgotten that she needed to reiterate what she had said a few moments before.

Weiss was scared all over again. She didn't want to frighten Blake off. She could imagine it clearly in her head now, confessing her affections and then feeling Blake freeze up and slowly pull away from her, expression painfully uncomfortable as she pushed Weiss away, disbelieving.

Weiss tensed up, heart thrumming, pounding up against her ribcage so hard she wondered if Blake could hear it.

"I-I…"

She didn't want Blake to push her away. She couldn't calm down. Weiss closed her eyes and ducked her head, turning her face into her pillow, arms trembling as she tried to keep Blake close to her, but also not wanting to trap her. She just needed a moment…

. . .

**Blake felt Weiss stiffen**, her heartbeat a drum in her chest that echoed in Blake's ears. She pulled Weiss closer subconsciously, tucking her under her chin. She wondered if it was the dreariness that had made her so bold, but she wasn't in the state of mind to think deeply about things.

Another sigh, but somewhere along the way it developed into a yawn, her eyes watering. This was the second opportunity Blake had to remain close to Weiss, and with sleep not far off, she wasn't about to let it slip by her again.

Weiss stuttered and Blake's eyes closed, her fingers idly trailing up and down Weiss' back subconsciously. The heiress hadn't pushed her away, and she was feeling far too comfortable to rethink her actions. Comfort was a hard thing to come by, after all, and as long as Weiss was happy enough to stay, she was too.

"Don't force yourself," she hummed. "Slow and steady, remember?"

. . .

Blake didn't pull away from her. Perhaps it was Weiss' tiredness, but she realized just how unfair her thoughts from a moment ago had been. Blake wouldn't push her away, and deep down she'd known that all along.

She was pulled in, felt fingers trailing up and down her back, through her hair gently, and Weiss relaxed again.

_Slow and steady, slow and steady…_

She let Blake's words be a guide to her rapid pulse, waiting until it slowed and matched the other girl's.

She wanted to stay with Blake. She never wanted to let her go or to be let go of. She wanted to be the one Blake could rely on, put her trust in. And for that to happen, Weiss knew she needed to speak up.

Keeping her arms tightly around Blake, Weiss slowly lifted her head again, all but burrowing her face into the Faunus girl's collar. She was more than sure of herself now.

"I love you."

. . .

**So it wasn't just her imagination**, the words given life as they fluttered softly against her skin. It made her heart beat faster - made her hold Weiss a little tighter.

_I love you. _

Three words, that was all it was.

Three words she hadn't heard in what seemed like years.

Three words she wasn't sure she actually deserved - not after the things she'd done and had yet to fix.

She wondered if she ever could. Wondered if she could ever say those words to Weiss without feeling that she had no right to them.

Now wasn't the time - for her - but she hoped Weiss knew just how much it meant to hear those words.

She placed a small kiss to the crown of Weiss' head before she could doubt herself, and then another, misguided and fumbling in the dark just above Weiss' eye. Her lips lingered a moment, the seconds not long enough, and then settled her cheek atop Weiss' head.

"Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, are we?" Her words held no malcontent and yet were too soft to be a tease, merely a filler as Blake tried to regain any semblance of coherence.

Happy? What an understatement.

. . .

Weiss was still, feeling Blake pull her closer, listening to the thrumming of her heartbeat beneath her ear. The words she'd spoken were ones she couldn't recall ever saying to anyone before. She'd heard and read them a million times, but to be saying them herself-

-to be _confessing_ to Blake-

-it was unreal.

A sense of elation washed over her, spreading through her stomach and chest and wrapping around her heart gently. Blake kissed her head before moving down and-

-her scar. She kissed right over Weiss' scar. The ugly mark that had ruined her image of personal perfection long ago. The mark that had caused her ridicule on her family's behalf.

She hated it.

She'd never said it aloud, but the thoughts plagued her mind every morning when she saw her reflection in the mirror.

She hated it.

But Blake was with her now, kissing it, accepting it.

Accepting _her_.

Weiss made a small sound and drew a breath between her teeth, unable to stop the warm flow of tears from dripping down her face and onto Blake's skin.

. . .

**The rest of Blake's words** withered on her tongue the moment she felt the tears on her skin.

Weiss cried quietly, punctuated only by soft gasps as she drew in shaking breaths. Blake wondered if it was a habit born from the circumstances surrounding her upbringing, but she didn't dwell on those thoughts for very long. The past was better off behind them.

Talking now seemed unnecessary, and Blake simply remained silent, her hands mapping meaningless patterns along Weiss' back. Comfort felt like the only thing she could give right now. She focused on that - on giving. Giving what she could until the tears stopped, and only the tiny hiccups remained. She lowered her head to nuzzle Weiss' cheek, ears flicking contentedly.

"All of you."

It was a whisper, an echo of Weiss' earlier words, but they were words that were more than worth repeating.

. . .

Blake's cajoling motions soothed her, and before long, Weiss had quieted her sobs. She wanted to do the same for Blake.

She pulled away slightly, enough to meet Blake's pretty eyes in the shadows. One arm remained draped across the Faunus girl's side as the other traveled slowly northbound until her fingertips ghosted over the soft fur of her ears. The time for their differences had passed, and Weiss' kindness unto her was long overdue.

She moved her fingers in slow stroking motions over Blake's ears, the ears she knew had caused her much pain in her past, enough for her to have to hide them, keep them concealed from her own team whom she was supposed to trust with her life.

Weiss kissed her cheek lightly, and she felt something curl within her chest, something delicate, fragile, and yet strong. Powerful.

"I love you," she said again. She didn't want the words to lose their meaning with frequency, but they were easier to repeat now, and she wanted Blake to _believe_ her.

She knew Blake's heart was more breakable than she cared to let on, and Weiss wanted to treasure it. She pressed her lips to the hollow of Blake's throat, directly over her heart, and held her close.

Sleep came, and it was warm.

* * *

**A/N: Like I mentioned in the beginning, my original edit of this chapter got deleted, so I'm sorry if it doesn't read well or there are mistakes. I didn't have the energy to look it over as properly the second time...**

**I made a lot of edits from the original though (to my own writing, not my partner's). It was almost embarrassing to re-read what I'd written when she was so good. **

**Anyways, more to come!**

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm glad to know most of you are actually enjoying this throwback to volume 1 days! It's nice to go back to simpler times.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3.

**The remaining days **of their break went by in a blur. It was as if all of Blake's luck had decided to cash in for a reward, and comprehending it all nearly left her head spinning.

There was a certain awkwardness they toed around, both of them rather uncomfortable at the idea of public displays of affection, but quiet nights spent in each other's company was a comfort she hoped would never leave - a butterfly feeling she held captive in her hands, hesitant to release in fear that if she let it go, it wouldn't return.

They would curl up under the covers, relish the quietness that Blake had grown to cherish in the short amount of time since their relationship had flourished. Held it tight, held it close, Weiss more than welcome in her arms.

But by the end of the week it seemed their luck had run out.

It was right before the final day of break, Yang and Ruby due back in only twenty-four hours, that a sudden surge of Grimm erupted in Forever Fall, and with staff as low as it was, Ozpin had begrudgingly opted to enlist in some backup. She and Weiss were more than willing to help, even in spite of Ozpin's rather cryptic warnings to be more careful than usual.

Blake was nothing if not critical, and that coupled with Weiss' love for structure and planning; she figured there wouldn't be that much of a problem. They'd stick to the books and hopefully be back just in time to spend one last night in blissful company alone.

And perhaps think about how to break the news of their relationship to Ruby and Yang. If at all, but there was still time for that.

Blake strapped Gambol Shroud's sheath to her back, carefully making sure that she had reloaded the ammo before slipping the collapsed blade into its hold. She grabbed a few extra ammo clips from her drawer just to be safe though, tucking them into her bag. She glanced at Weiss.

"Ready?"

. . .

Weiss sighed to recount how many days had passed, and how many were left, wishing against logic that it could all rewind, or if they could have more time, just one more day-

-and now here they were. Being called in for a mission on their last day alone together. Of course Weiss had immediately agreed to assist Ozpin as soon as he'd requested it, but she was still just a tad bit sour about it all; she'd planned to do something with Blake today, and fighting Grimm hadn't been the original idea.

Absently, the heiress finished tying her hair into its combat-efficient ponytail before filling her pouch with the ten small bottles of Dust it could hold. Just as she sheathed Myrtenaster at her left hip, she heard Blake's voice and looked up to meet her gaze.

"Yes. We should get going, then."

Her voice was a bit taut when she replied, and Weiss knew exactly why that was. This would be their first mission together as something more than just teammates. Now, Weiss was looking at Blake in a romantic light, and that terrified her in thinking they were going into battle. A foreboding feeling crept into her chest and she inhaled sharply.

_No. She'll be fine. Just because we're... _something_ now doesn't mean she's any less phenomenal a fighter. Nothing's going to happen just because we're together._

Weiss tried to reason with herself, remind herself Blake was a skilled huntress, that this would be a simple mission they'd tackled many times before…

And yet still, she just couldn't help but worry.

. . .

**Blake smiled softly,** ears twitching beneath her bow. Despite Weiss' acceptance, there had been a scowl on her face ever since Ozpin had told them the news. She could only guess as to what had caused Weiss' mood to spoil, and in the days past, she had grown use to seeing the curl on Weiss' lips. To a see a frown in its place just didn't seem right.

She stepped closer to Weiss, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder as Blake dipped low to press a kiss to Weiss' temple. It was quick, almost too quick, and Blake couldn't help but press another to her skin.

"Then let's get this over with."

The trip to Forever Fall was short, and soon enough they found themselves standing among a mixed group of trained hunters and students picked by Ozpin who had decided to help the cause. It wasn't a particularly large gathering, and Blake wondered if their headmaster's hesitance was because of their rather small numbers.

Technically, this was Blake and Weiss' first time fighting without Ruby and Yang, and it felt odd not having them here as they stood listening to Ozpin give the briefing just on the outskirts of the forest. Their number one priority: curb the Grimm population back to sustainable levels, and if there were any signs of danger that they couldn't handle, for students especially, they were to run.

Even now Blake could feel an unsettling presence in the air and she turned her head to watch Weiss listen intently to Ozpin's instructions. It felt like she should say something, but instead Blake inched closer to the heiress, leaning over to bump her head affectionately against Weiss'.

. . .

There was no way Weiss could keep the frown on her face after Blake had kissed her so sweetly like that.

She was still unsettled, but as they ventured to Forever Fall to rendezvous with the other hunters, Weiss liked to believe she hid her apprehension well enough, despite the unpleasant prickle beneath her skin. It was like there were tiny thorns in her bloodstream and she couldn't keep still, her eyes continuously flashing over to Blake for reassurance she was there.

As Ozpin briefed them all, Weiss was alert and vigilant, making sure to absorb all of his warnings and orders while simultaneously listening to the forest around them. There was certainly something off. No birds were chirping, no small patter of animals' paws through the undergrowth. It was unnerving.

But when Blake pressed against her, Weiss felt her stiff shoulders relax just a bit, and she gave a small smile, reaching down to take Blake's hand and squeeze it gently. They could get this over with quickly and then enjoy the rest of their day together.

"Now then," Ozpin was saying. "If there are no further questions, you are dismissed."

The small group dispersed as the headmaster watched them go.

Weiss shared a determined glance with Blake and nodded.

"Let's do this."

They took off into the forest that was unnaturally still, keeping their eyes and ears open for any signs of their enemies. Blake's ears would likely catch any sounds first, but Weiss still put herself on the highest alert. This was a simple mission, but the prickling in her veins still concerned her.

But she didn't want Blake to know that. She didn't want to be a distraction for her.

So she said nothing as she continued to dash through the trees beside her.

. . .

**The farther they ventured,** the more it seemed like the overabundance of Grimm was an exaggeration. Each pair had been given an area to cover, and with the way things were going, Blake sincerely hoped that they had merely gotten lucky.

But there was a thick and heady smell to the air that crawled up her nose and sat just behind her eyes. It was more than uncomfortable, and she rubbed at her eyes to keep them from watering.

Underneath the bow, her ears strained to hear even the slightest hint of disruption, the forever-falling red leaves rendering vision barely reliable at best. If the Grimm made use of both camouflage and numbers, they would be in some serious trouble.

She didn't like it, not one bit.

Intuition took over, and Blake reached out to curl a hand around Weiss' wrist and effectively brought both of them to a stop. She glanced at Weiss, unable to hide the frown as she combed out fallen leaves from Weiss' hair. Anything to keep her nervous hands from doing something they shouldn't.

"Something isn't right," she said, holding Weiss' gaze for a moment before returning her attention to their surroundings. "Either Ozpin is a liar, or we're so in over our heads we don't even know it yet." A hand rose to cover her nose. "And I seriously doubt it's the former."

. . .

This whole situation was becoming more and more unsettling as they continued to walk through the trees, the carpet of red leaves underfoot perpetually shuffling beneath their boots. The haze of crimson was making her almost delirious, and Weiss needed to shake her head a few times to rouse herself.

_We're on a mission. Focus. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home_.

But as they continued, she couldn't shake the foreboding feeling, the stillness of the air a harbinger in and of itself. There was some looming threat, and this time Weiss knew she _wasn't_ overreacting. Her skin was all but crawling, the air seeming too thick in her lungs as she found it harder to draw breath.

When Blake brought her to a sudden halt, the heiress' fears were confirmed.

"I have a bad feeling as well. We should… perhaps find reinforcements?" It was something Weiss would never _dream_ to suggest unless she truly believed it was absolutely necessary. Her pulse flitted quickly beneath Blake's fingers on her wrist, and her eyes met the Faunus girl's levelly. "Something's not right. We should-"

An explosive sound cut her off, and suddenly the forest around them was teeming with bellowing Grimm- Beowulves, Ursai, Borbatusks… It was the first time they had ever seen different packs of Grimm working in tandem, and their approach had been silent enough to even slip Blake's perceptive senses.

Weiss cursed under her breath, drawing Myrtenaster immediately as she took her stance, pressing her back against Blake's. She clicked her tongue a bit fearfully. Now they had no choice but to fight.

. . .

**Blake's hands instinctively** went for the handle to her blade the moment the explosion sounded, pulling Gambol Shroud from its sheath from its place on her back. She felt her muscles tense, taut like stretched elastic waiting for release as amber eyes scanned the gathering mass of Grimm before them. She cursed under her breath. How could she have let this slip past her?

"That's all we can do," she replied, eyes narrowing. "We have to get out of here."

At that moment, the first of the Grimm leaped forward, Borbatusks and Beowulves leading the charge. Blake dodged the first oncoming swipe of claws a little too close for comfort, unloading nearly a full clip of bullets into its skull before the Grimm collapsed into a heap on the forest floor.

"If we're surrounded we're done for," she muttered to herself, eyes trying to find Weiss in the emerging mess. The heiress could handle herself, but it never hurt to be wary. As long as they were careful they'd be fine.

The second her eyes caught white, striking as Weiss was against the reds of Forever Fall, she felt sharp claws sink into her side. She tore her eyes from Weiss, swinging her arm wide. The blade caught the Beowulf's throat and it sunk limp to the ground. When Blake pressed her left hand to her side, she could feel her skin grow slick with blood.

_Shit. Shit, shit, shit_...

But she couldn't dwell on it for long, as another Grimm was already rushing forward. Her hand tightened around Gambol Shroud's hilt, trying regain her concentration as her aura worked to mend the wound. If she was lucky, Weiss didn't notice her stumble.

. . .

When the first beast made its move, Weiss was almost thankful for the excuse of motion so Blake wouldn't see her shudder. She charged forward to meet the onslaught, avoiding the deleterious claws and tusks with ease that years' worth of training had worked into her bones. She spun, arms extended for balance and poise as she sliced at limbs and throats, killing several of her opponents in one move.

Weiss took down a few of them, but it wasn't enough to penetrate through and make an exit for Blake and herself. So she continued fighting vigorously, slashing with raw power and saving her Dust for only when it was absolutely necessary. If she had been alone, she could have caused a fine explosion and killed a great deal of them while using her glyphs to avoid it, but with Blake here, she wouldn't dare take the risk.

After she'd felled another wolf and cracked off the tusk of a boar and sent it squealing away, she noticed the blur of Blake's shadow clones. But she could tell immediately that her teammate was moving slower than usual, too much so to be considered normal or deliberate.

Wrenching her rapier out of the skull of another wolf, Weiss used her glyphs to propel herself to her teammate's side.

"Blake! What-" She stopped immediately when she noticed the blood, grabbing Blake's arm before she could jump back into the fray.

"Hold still!" she warned her. With the reaction speed that may have matched even Ruby's semblance, Weiss used her Dust to cast a massive barricade of ice, giant sturdy walls forming around Blake and herself to temporarily shield them from the Grimm. The only drawback was, once the ice was destroyed, the beasts would be almost directly on top of them unless they had a precise escape routine planned.

But Weiss would worry about that later. For now they still had time…

She made sure the ice had finished forming before her hands went to her knees and Weiss panted, the use of so much Dust taking a direct effect on her aura as well. She lifted her head, grateful Blake could have a second to catch her breath as well.

"Let me see it." She moved Blake's hand away from the wound on her side, and the heiress grimaced. It was several smaller gashes, all fairly deep, and Weiss placed her palm over them without a second thought and began emitting her aura. "Once the ice breaks… I'll use my glyphs and try to bring us up. So stay close to me."

. . .

**A hand stopped her** before she was able to throw herself back in the fray, and walls of ice rocketed skyward. The temperature dropped almost instantly, her breath clouding in front of her lips as Blake tried to steady her racing heart.

The obvious strain the action put Weiss through caused guilt to bubble in her gut. Weiss' concern for _her_ only made it worse, and Blake angled the wound away from Weiss' hands.

"It's fine. Really. I just wasn't paying attention," she protested, trying to pull away, although the blood seeping through her fingers was more than a giveaway. After slight resistance and a rather nasty glare from Weiss, she conceded, letting the heiress move her hand away.

The attack had torn through one of the coat tails to her vest, leaving nothing to cover the gashes across her side. Weiss' hands were soft, her aura cool and soothing as she went about explaining her plan.

It was difficult to ignore the groan of the ice over the sound of Weiss' voice, cracking under the surrounding stress of Grimm. The wounds wouldn't heal completely in time, she knew that, but hopefully it would be enough. She didn't want Weiss to put herself in danger by tiring herself out.

"Stay close," she repeated to herself. "I can handle that." The wounds were only partially closed when the ice walls started to crack, and Blake tugged Weiss' hands away, grabbing hold of the heiress' arm with her free hand and pulling her upright. "I think it's time we left."

She grimaced when the skin on her side stretched as she raised Gambol Shroud defensively. Blake could feel it beginning to trickle anew, and her aura went into overdrive trying to mend the rest of the damages. Shadows flickered, and her hand curled around Weiss'.

. . .

"Drat!" Weiss hissed as she was forced to pull away. Blake's wound hadn't finished healing yet. If they could just put some distance between themselves and the beasts, Weiss could mend it properly.

But for now, Blake was right- her ice was giving and chinking away as the Grimm charged and slammed against it with brute strength.

"Brace yourself."

She waited, her hand in Blake's for as long as she could allow. Then, when the ice gave a mighty crack, Weiss had to let go of her teammate briefly to move her right hand in an array of motions and symbols. Using Myrtenaster in her left, she cast another spell of Dust - fire this time - and brought her rapier down upon the center of one of her glyphs.

The circle she had cast turned red, and Weiss quickly pulled Blake back to her side as the Dust did its job. The ice exploded around them, fracturing and splintering, though Weiss had made sure to direct it away from them. The chunks of ice fell into the mass of Grimm, and it sent many of them back for an instant.

"Now!" Weiss grabbed Blake's arm and cast another glyph beneath their feet, making a path for them angled slightly upward. Weiss leapt to her next circle, more elevated than the first, grunting as she tried to take Blake along with her. They made it to the third circle, and Weiss was sure they would make it until-

Her concentration was broken as a paw swiped at them, clipping her left ankle mid-jump. Weiss stumbled and lost her balance, and consequently all of her glyphs, her spells dissipating uselessly.

"No, _no!_" She yelled as she felt them falling, and Weiss tried to scramble to form a new glyph, but there was no time.

She and Blake crashed to the ground amidst the Grimm and rolled apart. Myrtenaster's hilt was crushed beneath Weiss, and it dug upward at an awkward angle until something gave. She screamed out in pain as the impact sent shockwaves through her ribs, but she couldn't afford to stay down. She tried to get up, locating Blake amongst the Grimm, but she was too far away to get to.

"Blake! Ah-!" Weiss cried out to her, but it hurt to talk. They only had one option left now. She hoped Blake could hear her. "Blake, just run! We can meet up later ah-after we've lost them!" Weiss wheezed for breath after shouting, forcing herself to her feet. With a shaking arm, she brought Myrtenaster down and sent out a trail of ice to fend off a wave of Grimm that was trying to reach her teammate.

But that was all Weiss could do for Blake now. She turned back to face her own adversaries, focused on trying to break through and get away, trusting that Blake would do the same.

. . .

**She fell with a sickening** **thump,** and a sharp pain shot through her injured side, head snapping against the ground. Gambol Shroud scattered from her grasp and just out of reach. Breathing hurt, and as she slowly regained her senses, pushing the pain from her mind as best she could, she scrambled for her weapon.

She snatched it just in time, narrowly avoiding another swipe of claws by the skin of her teeth. The Grimm was beheaded a second later, a clean and precise slash of the blade that Blake wholeheartedly considered luck.

A cry of her name had Blake turning, ears frantically trying to locate its source, but everywhere she looked were Grimm.

"Weiss?" Her head ached, and every sound seemed like white noise reverberating off the inside of her skull, but somewhere in the midst of it all, she heard a word: Run.

"Weiss!" Her heart pounded. Run? Run where? "Weiss! Answer me!"

She shifted Gambol Shroud in her hand, the form transfiguring into a gun-blade. Blake could see an opening, two hulking Ursai the only things standing between her and a dense thicket of trees. But she hesitated, a moment and then two-

-until she no longer could and shot forward, sickle embedding into flesh.

She would find Weiss. No matter what.

. . .

Past the guttural howling and roars of fury, Weiss could pick up on Blake's voice. _Oh, thank goodness…_ At least Blake was still conscious, at least she was able to hear Weiss and answer her.

The heiress was about to get to her feet until an Ursa was upon her. Weiss grit her teeth, keeping a firm grasp on Myrtenaster as she rolled out of the way, a searing pain shooting up her side. With a mighty surge of strength she pushed herself up, blade aimed at the beast's throat as she pierced through it. Blood sprayed down on her before she yanked her weapon away, letting the massive body crash to the ground.

Behind the Ursa there were no other Grimm, and Weiss knew that was her way out. She made a rush for it, ignoring the pain as best she could and she was almost there until-

"Argh-!" She narrowly avoided the claws of a wolf at the last second, but the dodge pinned her against a tree for an instant, leaving her winded. The nearest Grimm - a Boarbatusk - took its chance and charged her, and all Weiss could manage was a pitiful and ultimately ineffective block. The rock-hard tusks collided with her stomach, and if her ribs hadn't been broken already, she felt at least two snap in that instance.

Weiss was bowled over and sent skidding through the bushes like a rag doll - the fact that Myrtenaster was still in her hand was a miracle. She could hear the Grimm chasing after her, and she panted as she pushed herself up. Hands shaking, she used some of the last of her Dust to cast another ice barricade around herself, the walls going up just in time to spare her another hit.

Now with a few seconds to catch her breath, Weiss was alarmed at how difficult it was to do so. She placed her rapier down and pressed a hand to her left side experimentally, sucking in a sharp breath as more pain erupted. She tasted blood, and every breath made her more and more lightheaded. The bashing of the monsters against her ice didn't help either, and she knew her time was limited.

_Blake…_

Weiss closed her eyes and searched until she felt the familiar flicker of Blake's aura within herself, something that had happened with their first kiss; their aura-sharing. From that, she could tell her teammate was still fighting far away, and the heiress only hoped Weiss had led most of the Grimm away from her.

. . .

**The thicket was dense**, a mess of trees and bushes that seemed to be sewn together by thorns. Branches snagged and tore, catching on briars as she tore through the underbrush.

Every time she stretched forward, arms reaching for hand holds to pull her through, she felt her skin split farther. Her aura was dwindling fast, its efforts constantly thwarted as it tried to heal and re-heal the wound on her side, and she could feel her control thinning as a result.

It was getting harder to focus, shadows curling and flickering around her. She could hear the Grimm, low guttural growls enough to send shivers down her spine. Blake knew that in her current condition, taking them head-on would be suicide. But she had to get rid of them, had to figure out some way to give them the slip so she could get back to Weiss.

She _had_ to get back to Weiss.

Tossing Gambol Shroud - a well-timed shot causing it to rocket and embed itself to the trunk of a tree - she pulled herself up onto a branch, retracing her steps through the canopy as best she could. If all went well, she'd have earned herself enough time before the Grimm caught wind and continued the hunt.

Weiss. It was the only word in her mind, and the more she felt it slip, the more fear crept up her throat. She would never let it go - let _her_ go - and Blake pushed herself harder, focused on the warmth that burned softly in her chest.

But not a second later, a clawed hand wrapped itself around her ankle, pulling her down, and Blake plummeted back to earth.

. . .

Weiss waited out her remaining time, hands clutching her head as it throbbed, and every second passed with a labored breath and another collision of a body against the ice. She scrambled to keep a hold on Blake's aura within her chest, but it was weak and distant.

Blake was hurt badly, Weiss could feel it. The wound she'd tried to heal earlier must've gotten worse, and the once-steady flicker of her aura was now frantic and wavering.

_Blake… why is this happening...?_

Another intense impact against the ice made it shudder and finally start to crack, and it served as a wake-up call of sorts for the heiress.

What was she doing? Sitting here whimpering as she waited for her impending doom? How foolish _was_ she? She had a team - a _girlfriend_ \- and Weiss wasn't about to let any of that go because of a few pesky Grimm. This was what she'd trained for.

With a new determination burning within her, Weiss staggered to her feet, using Myrtenaster as a crutch to support her weight. A stabbing pain shot through her stomach, the throbs gathering at her left side, and she bit her lip. With a shaking hand, the heiress withdrew the last two vials of her Dust - one fire and one lightning. She could still fight.

She could only think of one plan that would work, and it was going to be risky. But she needed to find Blake.

Another hit against her ice sent a top portion of it falling toward her, and she just barely managed to avoid it. She knew she needed to work quickly, and didn't waste another second. She cast a glyph beneath her feet as the ice was finally shattered, and the roars met her ears fresh and loud. Weiss threw the red bottle down at her feet just as she leapt with the assistance of her circle. Fire exploded beneath her, and the ice went with it, flying out in all directions.

Growls turned to whimpers and some snarls cut off altogether as the Dust erupted around her. Weiss cast another glyph to take herself higher, but wasn't fast enough to avoid some of the debris, shards of ice slicing over her face, arms, and legs.

Weiss held her glyph in place where she was at the treetops - maintaining it was taking up the last shreds of her energy. From her vantage point, she surveyed just how many more enemies she had to deal with. She was a bit satisfied to find that about half of them had been killed from the explosion or turned tail and fled off into the trees. But there were still a dozen or so circling around beneath her, waiting for her glyph to give out.

Weiss crouched there for a moment, just above them, wiping the blood out of her eyes as she reached out once more to locate Blake's aura. It was still there, but ever fading, and Weiss knew she needed to finish off this last bunch entirely with her next attack. Her broken ribs screamed in protest as she lifted her final bottle of Dust and stared down at the remaining beasts.

_Wait for me, Blake…_

* * *

**A/N: Ahh yeah had to edit a bit of this. Back when we wrote it we still didn't fully understand how semblances and auras worked or if they were linked/related at all. Hope it all made sense!**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm glad you guys are still following and enjoying this even though it's set so far back in the timeline. It's still crazy to me how far we've come in canon.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY**

* * *

Chapter 4.

**A pained gasp** hissed between her lips when the Grimm's hand curled around her throat and pinned her to the ground, her arms shaking as she struggled to keep the snapping teeth of the Beowulf away from her face. They closed on air, a sharp clicking sound echoing every time its jaws shut and strands of spit flinging in all directions.

Blake's vision went in and out of focus, the Grimm's white teeth and red eyes blurring into a mass of inkiness as she tried to squirm out of its hold. Gambol Shroud lay useless just by her head, knocked from her grip during the fall, and any chance of retrieving it depended on her escape.

She thrust out a leg, the heel of her boot connecting to its stomach and for a brief moment. She felt its claws loosen. It roared threateningly, the decaying smell of its breath fanning over her skin, and she choked on the scent. The sound would no doubt attract others, and she kicked again, her eyes watering.

She wasn't going to die here.

The Grimm yelped when her heel sunk into its flesh, and it pulled away. Breath filled her lungs, and she drank in heaving gulps as she scrambled for Gambol Shroud. Her hands grasped the hilt like a lifeline, dirt and fallen debris sinking under her fingernails.

She turned, blade raised, and the Beowulf leaped. Claws caught her cheeks - aiming for her throat - and she flinched at the sting, but Gambol Shroud held fast, the tip piercing through muscle, organ, and bone. The beast writhed, gathering her neck in its hands, but with one ruthless twist of the blade, she saw the light leave its eyes.

Gasping breaths left her like whines, heart beating with enough force that Blake thought it might jump from her chest as she pulled herself to her hands and knees. It didn't, but as she stared at the red leaves on the forest floor, she retched.

She wasn't allowed the pleasure of relaxing, though, and she pulled herself to her feet after her stomach had emptied of all its contents. There were monsters on her heels, but right now, that was the farthest thing from her mind.

. . .

Weiss glared down at the beasts from her glyph, counting her blessings that there weren't any Nevermores among them. There were eight boars left, three wolves and an Ursa. Usually a pack like that would take all of team RWBY to defeat, and even then any victory would be by the skins of their teeth. But alone? And in her condition?

She had one bottle of Dust left, and her aura was starting to drain dangerously low. Even now, the circle she was kneeling on was fading in brightness, and her vision was blurring…

"Damn…"

A wave of dizziness crashed over her, and she slumped sideways. Her glyph vanished beneath her, and for a split second, she fell. Only by a desperate display of skill did she manage to get it back, holding up just feet above the snapping jaws. All the monsters needed to do was wait; they knew she wouldn't last much longer.

But Weiss wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.

Yet, she also realized she couldn't fight them yet. Not here. She couldn't waste her last bottle of Dust on them.

No. She needed to find Blake first.

With a grunt, Weiss cast another glyph and jumped clumsily up, landing heavily and with all of her usual grace absent. She hunched forward, closing her eyes as she attempted to slow her rapid breathing. She felt for Blake's aura once more, trying to seek out the candle of light within the darkness.

She reached out, concentrating.

_Blake_…

A moment later, she reopened her eyes, wiping more blood from them.

She found her.

Without a second thought, she staggered to her feet just as her glyph disappeared, but she cast another. It was a slow, painstaking process, and she was crawling more than jumping, falling after every new leap, but she was moving. And the Grimm were following her, just as she'd planned.

She continued to follow the light of Blake's aura, letting it lead her to where she needed to be. Each glyph seemed to bring her closer, and yet farther away. But she kept going, and the beasts followed her. She gasped audibly with every movement, and the sound was louder than her perusers' howls. It was annoying, breaking her focus, but more than anything, it terrified her. She could hardly breathe…

_Blake… Blake…_

Another glyph. Another stumble.

And then, she saw her.

From her vantage point above the trees, Weiss felt the light within her resonate as a blur of black caught her eye below. There were Grimm all around her as well, and Weiss could tell Blake was on her last legs. And she'd led another pack of them right to her.

But that was the heiress' plan.

"Blake…" She tried to call out a warning to her, but her voice wasn't strong enough. Weiss coughed, seeing red on her palm when she pulled it away. Teeth grit, she saw the Grimm that had followed her had noticed Blake and started to head toward her. This was it.

Mustering every last shred of breath in her, Weiss called out one more time.

"_Blake!_"

She wanted Blake to know she was there, that she didn't have to fight anymore. Because Weiss was going to end this now.

. . .

**She had told herself** a long time ago that she wouldn't live with regret.

The first time had been when she'd joined the White Fang, young and naive and so ready for change.

The second had been when she'd left, a little bit downtrodden and more than hopeless, that what she had set out to do ended up amounting to nothing.

But she'd learned to deal, came to terms with the fact that she wasn't turning her back on her family. She was trying - would keep on trying - and during that time, it was more than enough to quell the regret.

And the moment she heard Weiss, her voice a beacon in the chaos, Blake could feel the words she had left unsaid crawl up the back of her throat like fire - prodding at her lips the second her eyes found Weiss, and she wanted to spill it all. The aches and pains were nothing, a mindless numb she shoved in the farthest reaches of her mind. No regrets.

_"Weiss!"_

Her body felt heavy, limbs weighed down by fatigue, but right now it was just her and Weiss. She wouldn't let that slip through her fingers.

. . .

Blake shouted her name, and it gave her the last shred of strength she needed.

Weiss released her glyph and jumped, all pain forgotten in that moment. The wind whipped past her bangs, slicing against her face and she braced for the impact of the landing-

There was a stumble as her boots hit the ground, but she straightened immediately. She could feel Blake's back pressed against hers, weak and trembling and about to give out.

The two packs of Grimm were upon them now, and there was a split second of silence, all sound white noise…

And then it was hell. Snarls and growls and powerful swipes, but Weiss was ready for them. She took her last bottle of Dust and crushed the glass with her bare hand, letting the contents scatter over the hilt and blade of her rapier.

A small amount of her remaining aura was the spark that triggered the rest of the attack. She sent it out along her left hand, and when combined with the Dust, Weiss saw the spark of blue-

She swung Myrtenaster in a full circle around them both, lifting it above hers and Blake's heads with a shout. She ignited the Dust, and lightning crackled instantly at her rapier's tip. It flashed out into a wide circle around them, following the arc of her weapon, stretching out with ravenous, violent fingers. It struck every last beast in the surrounding area, cutting through thick hide and armor like knives through leaves. There were short yowls before the only sounds were bodies crashing to the ground. The corpses began to dissipate, and then Weiss and Blake were alone.

It was unreal. Weiss kept expecting more to emerge from the trees and charge them, but that didn't happen. She could hear Blake's harsh breathing behind her, her aura still so weak even though Weiss was so close to her.

The heiress tried to look back over her shoulder, fighting for air as she tried to speak past the dry coughs that tore at her throat. "B-Blake we… we did it-"

But the world turned into a dark blur before she could even meet Blake's gaze.

Myrtenaster slipped from her hand, and Weiss collapsed to the forest floor that was dyed an even darker crimson than the leaves.

. . .

**The moment it all ended**, she felt weightless; even in spite of the pain, the rawness to her throat, and her trembling limbs, Blake felt like she might float away.

When she looked at Weiss, the heiress' face was a mess of scratches and drying blood, and the words that escaped her mouth weak and rasping.

Blake reached out - wanted to be pulled back down to earth by her. Blake wanted to touch her, hold her, make sure Weiss was real and alive against her, and Blake's fingers brushed over the skin of her hand, but not a second later she collapsed.

"Weiss!" Blake breathed, the name escaping her in a gasp and her arms slipped under Weiss', intending to keep the both of them up, but the remaining strength in her body was nowhere near enough.

They slumped into a heap on the ground, a mess of tired limbs and exhausted minds. Blake pulled Weiss close, arms circling Weiss' smaller form and hands curling tight into the fabric of her dress. Blake couldn't fight the initial tendrils of panic that snaked up her spine - caused her heart to pick up running.

"Weiss?" She sucked in a shaky breath, her voice barely a whisper as she brushed her lips against Weiss' temple. To her relief, a pulse fluttered softly against her skin, shallow breaths trailing lightly over her collar.

"Weiss..." Softer this time, nearly a prayer, and Blake held Weiss tighter, the heiress' name an endless stream from her lips. Weiss, Weiss, Weiss.

. ..

She couldn't make sense of anything. Her body didn't even feel real to her, her mind, a distant feature she couldn't even grasp. She felt like she was in quicksand, thick and unrelenting as it tried to drag her down into the depths and drown her. It was dark, darker than anything she'd ever known. She couldn't feel her heartbeat-

-but she could feel someone else's. The familiar light in the shroud of black, the faint little glow like a candle that led her home.

She was calling her name. She sounded so scared…

_Blake…_

The name was on repeat in her mind, and Weiss tried to open her eyes. Her senses came back to her in a rush. First was touch - _Blake's_ touch - warm and shaking but alive. Second was taste, the taste of blood. Third was the stench of it. Next, she heard her girlfriend's voice clearly, and then-

-Weiss sucked in a sharp breath and it hurt, _god it hurt,_ but she _needed_ it and-

-finally she opened her eyes.

And Blake was there, holding her, crying over her, her pretty golden eyes distraught with pain and her voice heavy with fear. She was covered in blood, but she was alive. Weiss wanted to hold her so badly, but she couldn't find the strength.

"B…Blake…" She rasped her name to reassure herself it was real. "Blake you… you're hurt-" Everything felt like it was on fire inside of her. She knew her aura was almost depleted, and some ribs were undoubtedly snapped. She realized the frightening shortness of her breath was probably because one of her broken ribs had punctured a lung.

She looked up at Blake with terrified eyes as tears slipped past them, mixing with the blood on her cheeks. Weiss was terrified. She didn't think she'd be able to keep her eyes open much longer.

"B…Blake…" she whimpered. "I don't… I don't want to die…"

. . .

**At the sound of her voice,** Blake pulled away to look into Weiss' eyes. They were half-lidded and bloodshot, but they were undeniably and irrevocably Weiss.

"You're not going to die," she said, stern despite the crack in her voice as she combed her fingers through Weiss' bangs, pushing the strands slick with sweat and blood back from her face. "Not after all of this. I promise."

Blake fell silent, a small smile forming on her lips before she tucked Weiss' head underneath her chin. God, what could she do? Her body felt seconds away from crumbling, aura so far gone it'd take days of rest to replenish. Weiss needed medical attention and fast, but with the rest of their group so far away and help even farther still, Blake was at a complete and utter loss.

She curled around Weiss, pressed her closer as if that's all it would take. Blake buried her face against the crook of Weiss' neck, breathed her in.

"I like you."

Awkward and inexperienced, that's what she was. Couldn't so much as hold her own life together, let alone another person, and the realization left her shaking.

"I like you."

A whisper - a clumsy press of lips against skin. Desperate. As if that would keep Weiss here-

"I _really_ like you."

-with her.

Her hands tightened, an arm curling around Weiss' shoulders and the other shifting just under her knees. An exhale, and Blake tried to stand, but her legs trembled - buckled under the added weight and she sunk back to earth. Her hands clenched in Weiss' dress, holding her steady, and Blake choked back a cry of pain. She pressed her cheek to Weiss' head, took a moment to catch her breath and tried again.

No regrets.

"I love you, Weiss."

. . .

Weiss felt a dull throbbing in her chest, and the blood was roaring in her veins, trying to pump to her heart and keep it working. Another whimper slipped past her lips as Blake reassured her she wasn't going to… wasn't going to…

She _wasn't_ going to die.

Not after all of this. Not after the fight she'd just put up. Not after she'd just confessed her feelings to Blake the night before. Not after Blake had just reminded her of how strongly she felt toward the heiress, how strongly Weiss felt toward _her_.

There was still so much she wanted - _needed_ \- to do. She wanted to go places with Blake, go on dates, go to classes. She wanted to study together and read together, eat lunch together and brush her hair for her, curl up at her side at night again and remind Blake that Weiss loved her, too. She wanted to hold her tightly and entirely, listen to her heartbeat and feel whole with Blake beside her. She wanted to kiss her again…

Weiss couldn't keep her eyes open very much, but she focused all of her remaining energy on keeping a grasp on her consciousness; she knew if she let go of it now, it wouldn't be coming back. She had fought a forest-full of Grimm and won; what kind of a huntress would she be if she lost the battle now?

Blake was carrying her now, and Weiss wished she could tell her to stop. She could feel the warm blood from Blake's worst wound seeping into her shoulder as her head rested against her girlfriend. Weiss willed the fabrics of her clothes to stop the bleeding.

She scrambled to grasp the last bits of her aura. There was enough to share. And she did her best to do so, letting the healing energy flow through her veins and follow the path to Blake's injury. Weiss liked to believe it helped, if only just a little bit.

For a few moments, there was silence between them, broken only by Blake's desperate panting as she tried to run. Weiss' breath had grown quiet, her body too weak for gasping.

Until the coughing started.

It came out of nowhere, but Weiss assumed it was due to a particularly hitched breath of air. Coughs raked her body, tearing at her from the inside out, bones aching as she jolted in Blake's arms. She tasted blood again, felt the hot tears as she hid her face in Blake's shoulder and trembled, biting the fabrics to keep her mouth shut, to try and keep the coughs down.

She wasn't going to die.

. . .

**The warmth Blake felt** as she stumbled through Forever Fall shouldn't have scared her. It felt like life, a mild flicker that gave life to her limbs, no matter how minuscule it was, but in her mind she knew.

Weiss was trying to heal her, and it took every ounce of self control not to scold her for it. It wouldn't have stopped Weiss from trying anyway, so she continued on, pausing only to catch her breath and place a soft kiss to the top of Weiss' head. A silent thanks if nothing else.

The forest was quiet, nothing like the eerie silence when they had first arrived. Now, it was mocking. Her shallow and choppy breaths deafening in the still air, echoed by the sudden coughs erupting from from Weiss' throat.

Blake fumbled, the wound on her side aching, and she crumpled to her knees. Breathing ragged and pulse quickening, she tried not to let the fear get to her, but when she gently coaxed Weiss' face from her shoulder and saw blood collect a the corner of her mouth, Blake felt her heart drop. She stood, shaking, pouring every last ounce of energy into her legs.

"Weiss. Weiss, don't do this to me..."

Her steps wavered, muscles aching, but two could play the stubborn game. She had a chance, and she would tear that apart for all it was worth.

. . .

Blake had stumbled, and Weiss whimpered a muffled apology, knowing it was her fault. Blake could hardly hold _herself_ up, let alone Weiss, too. The heiress was doing all she could to share a measly bit of her aura with Blake, but it wasn't enough. She could still feel the warmth of her girlfriend's blood as it continued to spread from the wound in her side. Blake couldn't afford to lose any more blood…

Weiss wheezed as deeply as she dared, fearing every breath widened the puncture in her lung. Her body rocked back and forth with weak coughs, and hearing Blake's racing heartbeat against her ear only served to make Weiss' increase as well.

Were they… going to make it back?

Blake stood again by some miracle, and Weiss concentrated on channeling her aura once more. They'd been moving for some time now, surely… surely they were almost there…?

They could've been lost for all they knew. The others might not have encountered any Grimm and simply gone back without them. What if no one was looking for them…?

The thoughts terrified Weiss almost as much as Blake's warm blood against her side, almost as much as the blood she felt pooling inside her lungs. Weiss coughed again, needing to get it out, lest she drown from the inside. But she knew it was only a matter of time before she lost the strength to cough anymore.

Blake was trying so hard to get them back and get them treated. Weiss had to wonder what was best for her at this point. She wanted to tell Blake to leave her behind, but the heiress knew what her answer would be; the same answer Weiss would give if their positions were reversed and Blake asked _her_ to go on ahead. If they were going to die despite their words from earlier, Weiss wanted to do so together.

But she didn't _want_ to die. Not like this…

It was all she could do to keep her aura flowing to Blake, and Weiss wished she could do more, wished she could help her. She wanted to tell Blake that she loved her again, but she couldn't manage to find the breath to do so. So Weiss did all she could and apologized again.

"Sorry…"

. . .

**"Don't-" A sudden stinging pain,** and her breath hitched. She counted to three, exhaled slowly, and started again. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault."

It was hers. If only Blake had been paying attention, if only she hadn't been such a fumbling idiot, then maybe she would have had the strength to get Weiss to safety. Instead, here she was stumbling through Forever Fall without a clue. It felt like she was walking in circles, every step holding the possibility of failure, and she wanted to to scream.

"We're going to be fine." Hollow. God, she hoped Weiss didn't hear. She'd be able to deal with the guilt - the fact that she had failed - as long as they made it back before time ran out.

Somebody should know they were still missing. Somebody. Blake would get them there. She would. She had to.

. . .

Weiss couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, so she let them fall shut. She could feel the trickle of the blood coming back into her lungs and it bubbled, but she couldn't cough anymore.

With her deteriorating state, her senses heightened, and the taste and scent of blood were poignant, made her tongue and sinuses sting. She could feel every throb of her heartbeat through her body, but it was getting slower, and Weiss thought perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to just let it take her…

But then, there was another sound. Past Blake's hammering pulse filling her head, there was something else, more distant but familiar.

Voices? It was just the far-off din of them at the point when the words were still unrecognizable, but it was surely conversation.

Weiss wanted to tell Blake, but she couldn't make enough sense of herself to do so. She hoped Blake could hear it.

_We're almost there, Blake. Then you can rest… You need to rest…_

Weiss couldn't share her aura anymore. There was nothing left to spare. The flow of it stopped moving toward Blake's wound, and Weiss felt the blood creeping back out slowly.

She hoped she wasn't imagining those voices.

. . .

**Her ears twitched,** flicking beneath the disheveled bow, and she could have sworn she heard something. She didn't want to get her hopes up, didn't have the heart to look past the illusions her mind had obviously created, but she did anyways.

It felt so good to stop, the haze of her mind conjuring dull splashes of color rushing towards them - greens and purples - and for a moment she entertained the thought that they had been found. Those sounds had to be voices, but they were muffled and undecipherable in her stupor, and they sifted through her ears like grains of sand.

Blake swayed lightly on her feet, clutching Weiss tight to her chest, the noises finally dissolving into a mindless static that bled away into nothing.

Just silence.

And then the world went dark.

* * *

**A/N: Re-reading and editing this years late I'm still so blown away by my partner's writing of Blake. I found myself sighing and squealing several times. It was a treat for me, and I hope for you as well.**

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is a bit on the shorter side, but very much on the softer side.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 5.

The world came back to Weiss slowly.

First, it was the sensation of something soft beneath her body and something even softer resting lightly over her skin. Then it was the sounds, the rhythmic beeping that was in accordance with the dull thrumming in her chest that flipped like a fish out of water.

Then it was the knowledge that there was something… there. A slight pressure over her mouth, and it forced air into her damaged lungs. It hurt with every breath, but she knew it was necessary, at least for a few more minutes, until she knew she could do it on her own.

Finally, her eyelids lifted to reveal a white ceiling. She was still for a while, letting her mind and conscious come back to her, remind her of what had happened to herself and-

"Blake-"

Trying to speak right now was a bad choice on her part. Her voice rasped up her throat and disrupted the flow of air into her lungs, but she didn't care. She needed to know where Blake was…

Weiss pulled the mask off from over her mouth, ignoring the increased sounds of the machines attached to her wrist as she tried to scramble up, receiving a painful reminder that her ribs were broken.

But all of that was worth it to see Blake laying next to her.

Their beds had been pushed together by the kindness of whatever nurse, and Weiss reached out her right hand - the one not attached to the wires - and touched Blake's hand. Her face was pale, much paler than usual, and she looked the same as Weiss, dressed in pink hospital robes with her hair down.

Weiss was relieved to see the rise and fall of her chest, mustering enough strength to rub her thumb over the back of Blake's hand before the pain in her chest became too great for her to handle anymore.

Panting with effort, Weiss laid down onto her back once more, keeping her face turned to look at Blake. It was harder to breathe without the mask, but she'd tossed it aside to a place she couldn't reach anymore. She felt tears gather in her eyes, slip down her cheeks and she wasn't sure if it was more from the pain or the relief.

. . .

**Blake hadn't been able** to get rest since last night. They had been stuck in the infirmary for almost two days already, and the infuriating wait was apparently enough to mess with her sleeping habits, even in spite of the pain.

It didn't take Blake long to realize she hated how the pain medication messed with her head, made her feel out of sorts and the nightmares even worse.

Blake tried to turn it all off - her mind, the out-of-sync drawl of both of their IVs, all of it - shut her eyes tight even as the early morning sun crept in through the windows between the curtains and pooled onto the bed sheets.

At least she was warm - at least Weiss was still beside her.

She felt something soft against her hand, heard the insistent beat of Weiss' IV quicken, but the feeling disappeared all to quickly. It almost seemed like her imagination playing tricks, and when she slowly opened her eyes to confirm her assumption, carefully turning her head to look at Weiss, what she saw - tired blue eyes and quiet tears - nearly made her cry.

Looking away, she pressed her hands over her eyes, willing them to stop watering as she inhaled a fluttering breath, the first real gulp of air in what seemed like days. She was almost scared to look back, afraid that this was another nightmare. It wasn't.

It was such relief, such elation, that when she turned back to Weiss, all she could manage was a pathetically muttered, "Hi."

. . .

Weiss felt her heart lift when Blake opened her eyes.

Those pretty, pretty golden eyes. They bore right into her own, and Weiss let out a weak chuckle when she heard her voice. How long had it been? She wasn't sure, but she could remember the last time she'd been conscious, and it felt like a long time ago.

Weiss could tell her broken ribs and punctured lung were on her left side, which meant she was able to turn onto her right without too much aching to face Blake. She slid as closely to her girlfriend as the IV's wires would allow, which was just enough to touch her shoulder, her cheek…

Weiss felt more tears dripping down her face as she wiped away one of Blake's, her lips curling into a tiny smile. The machine beside Blake's bed was visible to her like this, and she was relieved to see her girlfriend's heart rate was normal, her aura slowly replenishing. It must've been at least a few days since they'd been brought here, and their school recess was probably over. Which meant their teammates were likely back, but being kept out of the room for various reasons.

"Blake…" A whisper was all she could manage, her voice raspy from lack of use. She felt dizzy and knew there must have been a store's full of drugs and medicine pumping through her veins. She reached up to touch Blake's Faunus ears gently, fingers curling through her hair to try and silently convey her thankfulness, her affections.

It was clear her girlfriend still needed a lot of rest, though. There were dark circles under Blake's eyes, and she just looked so _exhausted_ simply by laying there.

Weiss sucked in a withering breath, but needed to turn her face into her pillow to cough softly before trying again. "How are… your wounds…?" she wheezed.

. . .

**Blake smiled,** relishing in the feeling of Weiss' hand through her hair. It felt like heaven and she tried to squirm closer, tried for any and all contact she could get.

"I'm fine." More than fine now that Weiss was awake, the pain in her side and the bruises peppered up her neck nothing more than afterthoughts. She swallowed, reaching across to brush the hair from Weiss' face. Her pulse was soft but alive underneath Blake's fingers, an accelerated rhythm that climbed gradually as it became harder for Weiss to breathe. "I'm more worried about you."

She paused, her thumb brushing lightly over Weiss' cheek. The scratches and bruises were slowly healing, but guilt curled in her stomach like a plague, all-consuming and impossible to ignore.

"The oxygen mask was there to help you, you know," she scolded lightly. As much as she didn't like the thought of someone else right now, neither of them could reach the mask. "Do you want me to call the doctor?"

. . .

She closed her eyes with a sigh as she felt Blake's fingers caressing her face. God, she'd missed this, _needed _this more than she'd known. Blake said she was all right, but she still appeared to be sleep-deprived, and Weiss didn't even want to imagine the nightmares that must have attacked her whenever she'd tried to close her eyes the past few nights.

Weiss kept her hand at Blake's cheek, needing to feel her softness, her warmth. But the heiress stiffened a bit at the suggestion of a doctor being called in. She feared if someone else entered now, they would move Blake and herself apart again, and Weiss couldn't bear the thought.

She could feel the desperate increase of her own heart rate as the machines started to beep faster, her breath hitching. It didn't help when she started to cry, both from the physical pain clawing at her chest and the emotional pain at the prospect of Blake being taken away from her. Yet still, Weiss nodded in response to her girlfriend's question, blinking her eyes back open past the tears.

"But I don't... I don't w-want to be taken… away from you. Please don't let them..."

. . .

**She curled a hand around Weiss',** kept it close as amber eyes searched her girlfriend's face, watched as the struggle for air made it hard for Weiss to speak. It was difficult to see her like this, made Blake's heart rate increase, that infuriating beeping noise ringing in her ears. She pulled Weiss' hand from her face and gently squeezed before letting go.

Turning away from Weiss, her eyes settled on the call button just beside her bed. The green button connected to a speaker that would no doubt relay her to the front desk and the doctor shortly following. But she hesitated, eyes narrowing, and after a few seconds she was plucking the IV from her arm, reaching to unplug the stupid contraption and silencing it for good.

Her feet found the tiled floor, and a chill snaked its way up her spine. She adjusted quickly, and even in spite of the way her legs trembled at first as she made her way around the bed to secure the oxygen mask for Weiss, it felt liberating - made her feel useful.

Admittedly, she was a little out of breath. After two days of being bedridden, how couldn't she be? But her quickening pulse made her feel alive, and she leaned over to place a chaste kiss on Weiss' lips before helping to secure the mask.

"They'd have a hell of time trying. Trust me," she said with a playful smile, wiping away a few tears that had trailed over Weiss' cheeks.

. . .

Weiss started to panic when Blake sat up, removing the IV drip's wire from her arm. She wanted to call out to her, but couldn't find her voice.

But Blake managed to make it all the way to Weiss' bed, and the heiress was both fearful for her and proud of her. She blinked away more tears - happy ones this time - as her girlfriend reached her, sitting on the edge of her bed to lean down and press a kiss to her lips.

It was gentle, so gentle. Blake was always so gentle with her…

Weiss wished she could hold the kiss longer, but her lungs didn't allow it. When Blake placed the mask back over her mouth, the oxygen filled her body once more, causing her chest to rise, and it felt better than Weiss cared to admit.

She sighed and closed her eyes, hand seeking Blake's, finding it, curling around it. Part of her wanted Blake to go back to her own bed and put her IV drip back in. But the other part wanted Blake to stay right there beside her, lie down with her and be _close_ to her.

Weiss was ashamed to admit it, but she knew the latter part was the one she was siding with.

. . .

**Weiss' hand was cold** around her fingers. A grasp clutched lightly around her hand, and Blake squeezed gently in response, the thought of letting go _so_ far from her mind.

"Scoot," she said, gesturing with her head for Weiss to make room, but it was more of a tease than an actual request. Blake didn't want Weiss to strain herself more than necessary, and she was able to crawl over Weiss and settle against her uninjured side with minimal pain. No small feat, for sure, and the sigh that escaped seconds later was nothing if not relieved.

The quiet respite that worked its way into the resulting silence was utter bliss. After two days of horrible sleep, the insomnia finally seemed to be slipping. She wriggled her hand in Weiss' grasp, curling and uncurling her fingers, savoring the weight in her hold. Blake reveled in that feeling of closeness, thrived in it, and pitied any doctor stupid enough to try and take it from her.

. . .

Weiss was relieved beyond explanation when Blake opted to stay beside her.

She was thankful to Blake for putting in the effort to move to Weiss' uninjured side; she wanted to feel her girlfriend as closely as possible.

Weiss longed to speak to her again, to thank Blake for saving her life, to remind her how much she loved her. But the pesky mask needed to stay on and she knew it. Weiss compromised with herself that if she let it do its job now, she would be able to speak more fluently before very long. But for now, she needed to be still.

She squeezed Blake's hand back for all she was worth, trying to convey her feelings through the contact. She could hear Blake's soft breathing as she drifted off into some much-needed sleep, and the knowledge that Blake was finally resting brought Weiss solace and encouraged her to try and do the same.

She closed her eyes, reflecting on the rather impressive feat they had accomplished together back in the forest. It would surely be a gradual road to recovery ahead, but so long as Blake was there beside her, Weiss knew it wouldn't be too difficult a walk.

* * *

**A/N: More to come yet!**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I believe I'd done a scenario similar to this in a previous story/roleplay, but I'd wanted to do it again/anew with a new partner who was also craving the fluff. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 6.

**They had been discharged** from the infirmary a few days later with strict instructions to avoid strenuous activity. Their slow recovery apparently had been the result of the complete depletion of their aura during the ordeal in Forever Fall, and the two were given extra time out of classes.

Yang and Ruby (who had scolded them both for lack of care when they had finally been allowed to visit) had promised to take good notes for them, or, on Weiss' orders, be forced to suffer the consequences.

Back in the peaceful bliss of their dorm, it appeared like only their academic careers might be in jeopardy, with the rest of their lives on the path to eventual recovery.

But of course it was never that easy, and something as simple as a mid-day nap had turned into more than it was probably worth.

Pain was the first thing Blake noticed when she awoke. A pool of it collected in her still-tender side, and she forced her eyes open as a groan worked its way up her throat, slipping from her lips in between muttered curses. God, it hurt.

"Weiss," she croaked, picking up her head just enough to glance down at the body curled against her side before plopping her head back down on the pillow. Going by the scowl she had seen planted on Weiss' face, it looked like the nap hadn't fared any better for her either. "My side is killing me."

Certainly not one of their better ideas. She blamed it on the meds.

. . .

Weiss was given a rather rude awakening due to a throbbing in her left side, thumping and frantic like a spastic jackrabbit. Evidently, she wasn't alone in this boat, as her girlfriend had also just woken - in much the same way, it seemed.

"That makes two of us," Weiss chuckled bitterly. If not for Ruby and Yang, Weiss and Blake likely would have brushed off eating their meals; too much effort, and they'd _really_ rather not risk the aches. But even with the sisters gone at class now, the two left behind were still having a rough time.

Weiss had been injured on her left side, and Blake on her right, which at least allowed them to face one another. Weiss had fallen asleep to Blake's peaceful expression, and awoken to a pained one.

With a grunt, Weiss pushed herself up in jerking, robotic motions, remembering what she needed to do for Blake. She helped the girl up carefully as she reached for the bedside table, a bottle of pills and two glasses of water having been prepared for them in advance there.

"Up you go." Weiss supported Blake's back, sitting her up briefly. She handed Blake two of the painkillers and helped hold her glass to her lips, making sure she swallowed.

"Bitter, isn't it?" Weiss smiled hopelessly when Blake made a face. The heiress leaned in and kissed her softly, trying to take her mind off the taste. When she pulled back, she gave a small push to Blake's good shoulder to have her lay back down, head resting in Weiss' lap. "Relax now."

Weiss reached down, letting one hand find Blake's sore side. She applied slight pressure beneath the girl's wound, rubbing gently to massage the aches away. Weiss' other hand went to Blake's Faunus ears and scratched gently in an effort to have Blake focus on that sensation rather than the less pleasant one.

Weiss did this for several minutes, offering guilty apologies whenever she made Blake wince, hunching forward to kiss her cheek in compensation. She pressed her fingers up Blake's side lightly; had she not been strictly prohibited by Beacon's staff not to use her aura, Weiss would have. But for now, she settled for just this much, doing her best to fend off Blake's pain before it could get to her.

"How are you feeling?"

. . .

**The medicine went down** hard and she grimaced.

"Terrible," she replied, but her lips couldn't help curling into a smile when Weiss leaned in, the kiss accepted without complaint. Her quest for subsequent kisses, though, was thwarted by a firm hand to her shoulder, and the pout that surfaced was almost immediate. She complied, letting Weiss guide her back down.

"You're worrying too much," she muttered, the desire to scold melting the moment Weiss' hands found her ears, gently scratching. The comforting sensations were almost enough to forget the pain, but it flared every now and again. "I'm fine."

_I'm fine._ Blake wondered how many times she'd said those words in the past week. Weiss had a habit of forgetting herself, she found. Every apologetic kiss was accompanied by a wince as Weiss aggravated her slowly-healing lung. By the third time, Blake pushed herself up, amiably swatting aside Weiss' hands.

"I'm fine," she repeated, bracing a hand on the mattress so she could duck her head to brush her lips against Weiss'. "How about you worry about yourself too, hm?"

. . .

She was only slightly miffed when Blake batted her hands away playfully. Weiss liked spoiling her, particularly when Blake got _that _smile on her lips whenever her ears were being tended to.

"I'd say I'm worrying an appropriate amount, considering what a mess we've found ourselves in."

When her girlfriend sat up, Weiss couldn't resist leaning in for another gentle kiss. She wasn't supposed to strain her lungs, but Weiss believed that Blake's kisses helped her infinitely more than they hurt her. And she could tell by the slight pressure Blake responded with that she needed it as well, though Blake was sure never to drag it out a second too long.

Weiss lifted her arms slowly up to Blake's shoulders and pulled her into a loose embrace. She kissed her temple with a sigh.

"Well, now that we're up, what say you to some exercises?"

She knew that was the last thing Blake wanted to do. But they needed to keep in motion if they wanted to recover properly and rebuild the muscle they had lost over these past several days.

"Come on. Just a few laps to the door and back. Some walking will do us both good." Especially Blake, considering the wounds she'd sustained on her legs as well. Moving around a bit would help fend off future aches and pains.

But god, Weiss would be lying if she said the priceless expression Blake made at the suggestion didn't make her bite back a laugh.

. . .

**Blake's lips pursed,** eyeing Weiss with a hint of playful annoyance. It was no secret to Weiss that she'd rather relax sprawled out in bed. The muscle exercises were tedious, resulting in hours of soreness that Blake would have been perfectly fine without, and the mere thought had her battered legs throbbing. Her ears twitched as she leaned into Weiss, resting her chin on Weiss' shoulder.

"How about a rain check?" she teased, different distraction tactics already forming in her head. It was all probably for naught; Weiss was a stickler when it came to their rehabilitation regiment no matter the excuses and diversions Blake came up with, but it never hurt to try.

. . .

"Mm, a nice try," Weiss chuckled, petting Blake's hair softly. "But you know we should at least try. Just two or three times. Then it's right back to relaxing in bed, okay? That'll be the reward, but it won't be worth it if we don't work for a bit first, right?"

Slipping her legs off the bed, Weiss coaxed her girlfriend to do the same, breathing a small laugh at Blake's pout. Weiss kissed her cheek in apology before slinging one of the girl's arms around her shoulders, Weiss' other hand going to her hip.

"On three. One, two… three."

With a surge of strength, Weiss was on her feet, bringing Blake up with her. It was a miracle they both didn't go toppling back onto the bed, swaying as they used one another for support. Weiss had better balance between the both of them, so she took on as much of Blake's weight as possible.

She waited for a few minutes for Blake to adjust, until her legs stopped shaking. Then, Weiss took a step toward the door, waiting for her to follow.

"Nice and slow," she murmured.

. . .

**"Work for it," Blake said** with a wry laugh. "I think I've worked enough for the next few years."

Even still, she let Weiss help her to her feet, an arm circling her shoulders for support. It took a moment for Blake to find her feet, her tired muscles aching at the sudden pressure placed upon them. The strained ankle from where the Grimm had yanked her down began to throb, but the only sign of discomfort was the slight crease in her brow as she forced herself to concentrate.

It was simple. One step after another, her body practically curled around Weiss. With their heads close together like this, Blake couldn't resist an affectionate nudge, a silent 'thank you' for everything, but with her attention distracted it was only seconds before her balance slipped right out from beneath her.

. . .

"Oh- hey-!" Weiss felt Blake's weight shift dangerously against her, and the heiress' heart leapt to her throat. She reacted as quickly as her body allowed, tightening her grip on Blake's wrist.

By some miracle, she stayed on her feet, getting slightly beneath Blake before hoisting her back up, though Weiss still had the girl lean most of her weight onto her back. Their legs were shaking now, but Weiss was determined not to let her girlfriend fall - not so quickly anyway, but if Blake needed to take a rest, Weiss would gladly lower her slowly.

"Careful..." Weiss remembered to breathe and ran her hand up and down Blake's back for support, keeping a firm grip on the girl's other wrist. She waited for a few minutes for Blake to get her bearings back, wondering if they should retreat back to bed after all. But they'd already gotten this far, and the slight glint in Blake's eyes told Weiss she was ready to try again.

Weiss waited another minute before giving a light pat to her back.

"Maybe just _one_ lap and back. How does that sound?" She smiled a bit weakly.

. . .

**Blake exhaled a shaky breath,** her hands clenched in the fabric of Weiss' clothes.

"Thanks." Her heart pounded, stunned from the brief scare, and her legs trembled. The path to the door seemed to stretch before her eyes, but she shook her head, gathering back her senses. Only one lap? Perhaps she should lose her balance more often. "Sounds like a plan to me."

The remaining steps to the door were slow and calculated, and the moment they made it, Blake reached out a hand to stabilize herself. They must have looked so pathetic, shaking legs and almost out of breath. As huntresses-in-training, it was almost humiliating, but when she looked down at Weiss, she grinned.

"Halfway there."

. . .

It was frustrating for them to have to move at such a painstaking pace. Usually, they could lap the entire school in the amount of time it took them to reach the doorway now. But Weiss reminded herself it was necessary for the sake of their full recoveries to do this slowly, gradually, no matter how irksome it was. Weiss tended to be impatient about these sort of things, but this was a very different and delicate situation.

They reached the door and paused for a moment. Weiss felt a prickle of worry even stronger than before rise in her chest when she felt Blake's shaking grow worse. Keeping a firm grip on the girl's wrist, Weiss rubbed her other hand up and down Blake's side. She could feel the quick flutter of her girlfriend's pulse beneath her palm, and Weiss waited for a few seconds until it slowed. She pressed light kisses to Blake's head and ears all the while, until she stopped quivering so badly.

"Whenever you're ready…" she murmured. "We've got all day, and if that's what you need to make it back, so be it…"

. . .

**"I can make it," Blake said, determined**.

At this point, that short distance was the only thing keeping her from rest and relaxation. She could practically taste it, and following a short self-centering moment, they were off again.

Her concentration didn't wander this time, the sheer amount of focus it took to keep her legs from shaking kept her mind in check. Worrying Weiss wasn't something Blake particularly enjoyed, after all. Teasing her was one thing, but the worried looks she constantly threw Blake's way was something she would rather be without, and the sooner she healed, the better.

Still, the moment they reached the bed and Blake collapsed unceremoniously onto the welcoming sheets, tugging Weiss with her, the sigh that escaped was more than relieved, happy even. She pulled Weiss close, peppering a mix of affectionate nudges and kisses over Weiss' face.

While they still had the time alone, Blake would savor it - would push the aches and pain to the back of her mind where they belonged. She could only hope that they stayed there, give them both a chance to enjoy each other's company before Ruby and Yang came stumbling back after classes.

. . .

It would be a lie if Weiss said she wasn't relieved when they finally reached the bed again. Of course it was important to do their exercises, but she'd much rather just lay in bed with her girlfriend all day to heal, and she knew Blake felt the same.

She smiled, running her hands through Blake's soft wavy hair as they laid back down on the mattress. "Well done." Weiss chuckled, kissing between her Faunus ears and wrapping her arms about her gently.

She enjoyed Blake's butterfly kisses, relishing the reward of completing the tedious lap to the door and back, being sure to return every kiss, every motion. It was these moments that made all of the aching steps worth it.

But when she moved her left arm a certain way, a particularly sharp jab of pain struck through Weiss' side, as though she could feel the Grimm plowing into her all over again. She gasped and cringed as her bad lung felt like it caught fire, her arms letting go of Blake suddenly as Weiss sat up and hunched forward, panting. She could barely keep her eyes open, tears already streaming down her face as she tried to look up.

"Ah-" The panic that charged her then was worse than it had been during the actual battle. She could feel every throbbing beat in her heart, and each breath was becoming harder to draw, shorter and thinner. She tried to focus, just let the motions come naturally, but everything felt too jumbled and tight to feel okay.

. . .

**The sudden gasp startled Blake, **and she pulled away to the sight of Weiss' hunched form. There were tears, silent as Weiss tried to suck in much-needed breath with little success.

It scared Blake, made her heart leap into her throat as uselessness filled her in waves, each more drowning than the last. It hurt to look away from Weiss, and yet she did, instinctively grasping for the top desk drawer and withdrawing a small inhaler. Her sore muscles protested the action, though the pain melted into nothing soon enough, pushed far back into the recesses of her mind. She sidled up to Weiss, pressed a kiss to her hair.

"Relax," she said, voice soft, silently reminding herself to do the same as she pressed the device into her palm, just in case Weiss felt it was needed. The doctor had told her not to overuse it, give her lungs the chance they needed to strengthen on their own, and sometimes Weiss was stubborn. But Blake lived by 'better safe than sorry.'

"You're fine. You've got this." Her hand rubbed up and down Weiss' back, the other coaxing her upper body to straighten and allow her weak lungs the room they needed to expand.

. . .

It was bad.

Weiss could feel this pain wasn't like previous instances of this occurring within the past few days. It was worse, and even as Blake pressed the inhaler into her palm, Weiss hardly even felt it. Her mind was too scrambled to think of how to use it anyway, and the device slipped uselessly into her lap.

She tried to do as Blake suggested - _relax_. She needed to calm down for both of their sakes. She could feel Blake's hands rubbing up and down her back, trying to sit Weiss up properly. She _wanted_ to let Blake comfort her, wanted to let this work…

_"__You're fine. You've got this."_

The words, and Blake's reassuring tone, stirred something in Weiss, stirred it more strongly than the panic. Weiss fumbled for the inhaler and lifted it to her lips, letting it do its job. There was a sudden rush down her throat and through her chest, and Blake was attentive and supportive at her side, constantly petting fingers through Weiss' hair and down her back.

She slumped softly against her girlfriend, her chin falling onto Blake's shoulder. Just feeling Blake's slower pulse already did wonders for Weiss'

"Sorry... I just..."

Her clipped breath didn't allow her any more words than that, so Weiss focused on her breathing, trying to slow it, letting Blake's body and heart calm her as best she could.

. . .

**Blake felt Weiss' arms** slip around her waist, felt the weight settle against her, and she pulled Weiss into her lap.

"I'm not going anywhere," she murmured, arms yielding in their embrace. "So, there's no need to apologize. Take your time." She kept her hands moving, kept them tracing little circles over Weiss' shoulder blades and up along her uninjured side, a constant contact and reminder that she was there.

"That's what this whole thing is about, remember?" She tilted her head down and her lips skimmed over Weiss' cheek. Gentle. "We help each other out." She smiled against Weiss' skin, nudging her head with every ounce of affection Blake could muster as a rumbling sound blossomed high in her chest, collecting in the back of her throat as a purr.

. . .

Weiss nodded and let out a soft sigh. Tears still slipped past her eyelids, but there were fewer than in the previous moment. Blake supported her now, just as she always had.

Weiss took her time, trying to get her breathing back to normal, hating how every inhale and exhale trembled. _Blake's here…_ she reminded herself, trying to regain control. _She's right here…_

A soft vibration from her girlfriend's chest rumbled against her collar, and Weiss could feel it as though it were her own creation. She loved it when Blake purred, therefore she opted to let the feeling calm her now. It was a lulling sound, like gentle combers rolling over her skin, and it helped slow Weiss' heart rate, matching it to Blake's.

It was a few moments later when Weiss finally recovered, the anxieties melting away into Blake's comforting warmth. Weiss nuzzled weakly into the side of the Faunus girl's neck to display her gratitude; she breathed better in Blake's arms, she had found.

"Thank you, Blake…"

. . .

**Blake was all too happy** to return the affection, basking in the steadying beat of Weiss' heart, its monotony more than welcome. She nuzzled every part of Weiss' face that wasn't hidden, ears twitching as the last vestiges of fear ebbed from her limbs.

"Glad I could help," she said, listening to the soft breaths Weiss took and the purr rumbling in the back of her throat continued.

It felt odd after so many months denying the instinct, but with Weiss, Blake found she had developed rather poor discipline resisting it. It surprised her then that she didn't find the thought at all discouraging. Weiss enjoyed it, liked it for whatever reason, and that was more than enough for it to go straight to her head. She nudged closer, the sound bubbling as her lips ghosted over Weiss' forehead.

"Though nothing you say will convince me all of this was worth getting out of bed for."

. . .

Weiss let out a sound that was almost a huff. Almost.

"Right… Maybe no more exercises for the rest of the week," she suggested, only half-joking.

She stayed there in Blake's arms for a moment, savoring the contact, loving the feeling of her purr more with every passing second. It was so passionate and full against her chest that Weiss couldn't suppress a small giggle.

"Well then…" She murmured, holding a light kiss to the side of her neck. "Perhaps we should just… go back to sleep, hm?"

She turned and carefully - _carefully_ \- laid herself down, keeping Blake against her snugly. Shifting her weight a bit, Weiss slid down to tuck herself beneath Blake's chin, where she could hear the rumbling purr best. It was like a tin of marbles had been released down an endless tiled staircase, rising and falling with every breath she took, the slow lull of her heartbeat hidden just beneath it.

Weiss waited and breathed with her, nuzzling Blake continuously.

"Do you think… you can humor me a while longer?" Weiss requested, pressing a kiss to the hollow of her throat.

. . .

**A smile formed at Weiss' suggestion.**

"I'm going to need to get that in writing," she joked back, her heart swelling at the tiny laugh that escaped Weiss. It was like a bell, a light and short chime that had Blake pulling her closer once they had settled back down for another attempt at sleep, but after everything, even fatigue wouldn't make it easier.

She was comfortable, happy enough to tuck Weiss under her chin and bask in the relatively pain-free bliss. And when Weiss pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat, the purr rumbled with renewed energy, a soft laugh fluttering forth at the sensation. Blake gave a gentle squeeze, placing a quick kiss on the top of Weiss' head.

"Humor you?" She let out an exaggerated hum, feigning deep thought. "I think I can squeeze you in my busy scheduled. What's on your mind?"

. . .

"I could do with a bit of squeezing," Weiss hummed, performing said action on Blake herself, but just with a slight amount of pressure. She rubbed her hands up and down Blake's back in long, lazy motions, letting her nails glide gently between her shoulder blades and back down her spine.

After a few moments, her hands found their favorite places at Blake's Faunus ears and she scratched with care. The purr intensified beneath her ear, and Weiss hid a chuckle into her collar, kissing instead.

"This is bad…" she sighed. "I'm going to get lazy if we keep this up…"

It was too much effort to bother with fumbling the blankets to get back underneath, and Weiss shivered slightly, pressing closer to Blake. She could feel the resonating lights of their auras filling her core, but they were still replenishing, hence the heiress' sudden inability to handle chilly temperatures like she normally could. Sticking close to Blake served as the best medicine for that issue, she'd found.

"I love you…" she murmured aimlessly, stroking her velvety hair, just feeling the need to remind her. "I love you, Blake."

. . .

**Blake curled closer,** nuzzling her cheek against the top of Weiss' head. It was as good as curling up with a good book, but the soft press of Weiss' body against hers, the heavenly feeling of Weiss' nails trailing up and down her back - against her ears - was worth more than any story.

"If being lazy entails spending quiet days in bed, then I am going to be a horrible influence," Blake managed in between purrs. "Figured I should just warn you now."

It was more than being close, though; it was the familiarity - it was the peace that settle in her veins like a drug. The feeling was like a haze, and with her immunity long-since crushed, she sought it with fervor, wanted it rooted in her lungs as she breathed.

"I love you, too."

And the elation she felt at saying those words, having them hang comfortably in the air without threat, was a novelty Blake hoped never left.

* * *

**A/N: My partner's writing still astounds me... have I mentioned that already?**

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Very glad for the few people still reading and interested in Monochrome~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 7.

A week later found them on the countdown waiting to return to classes. All major injuries had been mended; the only things preventing them from going back to their lessons this week were immense aches all over their bodies that left them more or less immobilized.

Of course they weren't _really_ incapable of moving; they just _really_ preferred not to get up out of bed.

That morning had found them alone together once again, Ruby and Yang having already headed off to class.

Unluckily for Weiss, Blake had been in a mischievous mood that morning and presently had the heiress pinned beneath her, looking down on her with a smirk.

"Blake, please…" Weiss groaned. "If you tickle me now, I can't guarantee your safety. You _know_ I can't be held accountable."

But she also knew her pleas were fruitless; oh, the lengths Blake would go through just to hear her squeak so she could taunt her about it later.

With her wrists restrained by the Faunus girl, Weiss was dreary from sleep, writhing meekly beneath her. "You… you can't blame me if I re-fracture your shoulder…" she growled in one last attempt at a warning.

. . .

**"'_Please'_ won't help you now,** heiress," she drawled, tone low and lazy despite the way her heart slowed from its high.

It had taken a bit of minor wrestling to pin Weiss (and a few muttered 'sorry's and apologetic kisses in between to ease the accidental pains), but the minor exertion was more than worth the effort. Weiss tried to wriggled free from her hold, but Blake's grip tightened on the wrists on either side of the heiress' head - a simple light pressure meant to quell any sudden movements.

Once Weiss stilled, Blake dipped her head, kissing the junction just below Weiss' ear before pulling back to stare down at the girl beneath her. The smirk widening playfully.

"Consider this revenge for that time you ate the leftover tuna I was saving for later."

. . .

Weiss stiffened when Blake pressed a teasing kiss to her neck.

"P-Please…" she grunted. "Although I admit I should've known better than to listen to Ruby when she told me you weren't planning to eat it, you can hardly blame me." She could almost hear the amused purr rumbling in Blake's throat along with the smirk that accompanied it.

Weiss tried another method. "You wouldn't attack a helpless invalid, now would you, Blake? I'm _oh_ so tired and sore from the past two weeks. Would you really sink that low?"

It was more of a challenge, a dare for Blake to go through with it, just to see what would become of her if she did; if Weiss could best her just for a moment to get the upper hand, she had her own methods by which to make Blake release even her most girlish laugh.

"So what's it gonna be, Belladonna?" she smirked. "Attack a helpless heiress like a coward, or let her go and take your beatings like an honorable huntress?"

. . .

**Blake quirked a brow,** listening to Weiss with a hint of amusement.

"That's the problem," she teased. "I _would_ stoop that low."

She held Weiss' gaze for a moment. A silent dare - willing Weiss to just _try_ and escape, but her grip around Weiss' wrists was unyielding. It was probably poor of her to be enjoying this so much, but watching Weiss squirm was always entertaining, so long as she knew they were both having some amount of fun. Bending low, she stole another kiss, her lips lingering a moment too long.

"I hope you're prepared."

Hair spilled from over her shoulder (three_), _a small chuckle escaping her lips at the look on Weiss' face (two), and when it looked like Weiss had lowered her guard (one), Blake pounced.

Honestly, she couldn't think of a better way to spend an afternoon.

. . .

"_Blake_\- Blaaaake!"

Her warnings were ignored entirely, just as she'd feared, as Blake dove in for the attack. Fingers poked and wiggled all over the heiress' body, not hard enough to scratch but just light enough to send shivers throughout.

She thrashed uncontrollably, twisting and curling in on herself, trying to dissuade Blake's assault. But the Faunus girl took advantage of every inch Weiss' defense exposed; if her stomach was open, she would go for that, or her neck, her arms, god her _sides_-

"Blake, I ca- aahaa!" Weiss squeaked, tears in her eyes that were squeezed shut from the laughter that raked her body. She flipped over onto her side, clutching her waist, but her girlfriend managed to slip under and continue to tickle her.

Weiss kicked her legs out, trying to get a hold on Blake and roll her off, but she was too weak and short of breath now. She tried to wrestle her, but it was useless, and the heiress tried to wrap the blankets around herself to use as a shield. Her chest heaved as she giggled here and there between wheezing breaths, heart racing.

"B-Blake, please…" she requested - not begged. Heiresses didn't beg. Another poke sent her back into a spiral of laughter, tears dripping down her cheeks.

She was going to be especially sore today.

. . .

**Weiss' laughter filled the small room.** It was absolutely intoxicating - infectious - and Blake wanted it to continue, wanted to wrap herself in the sound of Weiss' impossibly girlish giggle, interspersed with gasps of her name.

Her hands stilled out of mercy a moment later, grasping Weiss' hips lightly to keep her still as Blake took the time to catch her breath. Weiss breathed heavily beneath her, chest heaving as she inhaled, every breath a gulp for air. It wasn't long though before she was leaning in to pepper kisses across Weiss' face, taking advantage of her girlfriend's disoriented state.

God, Blake was weak for her. If only Weiss knew just how much that was.

"I'll consider forgiveness if you apologize," Blake said as she pulled back, trying and failing to keep the amused smile from her face. "How about it, Schnee?"

. . .

Weiss huffed for breath, graciously taking advantage of the moment of mercy Blake presented her with, though the Faunus girl still kept her securely in place beneath her. Her golden eyes laughed silently down at Weiss, and the heiress needed to brush her cheeks against each shoulder in order to dry the tears lingering there.

God, she wanted to flip Blake over so badly and _teach her a thing or two-_

-but Weiss was still recovering, arms weak as though filled with syrup. Blake pressed light kisses over her face, and the white-haired girl soaked in every one of them until Blake pulled away, ears twitching in amusement.

"Oh, please…" Weiss panted, glaring defiantly up at her. "Apologizing would mean admitting I was in the wrong. You know better than anyone that'd I'd never _dream_ to do such a thing. For anyone. I'll buy you an entire crate of tuna if that's what you want. But I'll never apologize for eating that _delicious_ bit you'd saved," she said snidely.

She knew her fate was in Blake's hands, but Weiss was convinced she could put up a fight this time.

. . .

**This time there was no** warning as Blake dove in for the metaphorical kill, her fingers fluttering across Weiss' sides to exact swift and ruthless revenge. Now knowing for certain the exact weak point to exploit, she did so every chance she got. She was unrelenting in her attack, and the room was set alight with Weiss' laughter.

Weiss squirmed beneath her, trying to block incoming tickling assaults with little success, but Blake could feel her stamina lessen as the seconds ticked passed. She didn't take into account her condition, and being still quite a ways away from being in tip-top shape, she could feel her muscles start to ache in response to the building resistance.

_Show no weakness_, she told herself. But with the tiredness, her attacks were sloppy and graceless, openings everywhere if Weiss simply took a moment to gather herself and look. Blake reached for whatever she could, hoping to bring Weiss to surrender before it all gave out and she ended up on the receiving end of a rather revengeful girlfriend.

. . .

Blake was weakening, and Weiss knew she could fight back if she just held out a little longer and waited for the right time to strike. Just like any other battle.

She was forced to endure the attack for another minute or so, her ribs sore from so much tossing and turning. Her entire body shook with laughter, arms and legs lashing out weakly as she fought for breath.

And then she went limp, completely so, not even able to move anymore as Blake continued to tickle her.

It worked.

Blake stopped her assault for just a second, but that was all it took for Weiss to surge upward and knock her sideways. Straddling her girlfriend, Weiss wrestled her until she was on her stomach with her back exposed. She then pinned Blake's arms to her sides using her knees, placing both palms on Blake's back and leaning forward a bit to keep her down.

Weiss panted for a moment now in knowing Blake was at her mercy. She wiped her tears briefly to clear her vision before she leaned down and breathed purposefully onto the girl's Faunus ears.

"Everyone knows… a cat is weak to the scruff."

And with that she slithered all ten fingers up Blake's spine and curled her nails in lightly at the nape of her neck.

. . .

**A choked yelp escaped** when Weiss surged forward, the sudden action more then enough to cause Blake to flinch and allow Weiss the opening she needed to swiftly turn the tables.

It was almost embarrassing. Any movement was quickly halted, arms useless at her sides when a weight settled on her lower back and caused her to sink into the mattress. Leave it to Weiss to make sure precautions were taken, and Blake huffed, attempting to blow the hair from her face.

She tried to turn, tried to shoot Weiss a mocking stare, but two hands pressed between her shoulder blades and pushed her back down, effectively keeping her from moving. Her ears flicked unconsciously when Weiss' breath trailed over the sensitive fur, and Blake was about to retort, the perfect sassy comeback just waiting on the back of tongue.

But the only sound that issued forth the second Weiss' nails trailed up her spine to dig lightly into the back of her neck, was a squeak so undignified that Blake knew she wouldn't hear the end of it for days.

"Weiss-!" Her voice had risen a few octaves, and she was left hoping that the torture was swift. That or her energy would return quickly enough for her to put up a fight. Blake was certainly hoping that, for the sake of her ego, it was the latter.

. . .

"Oh my..."

The sound Blake had just made, accompanied by the squeal of Weiss' own name, left the heiress laughing out loud again. But that only made her eager to hear more of Blake's high-pitched voice, a dire contrast to her usual monotone.

But rather than a full-on, full-force attack like her girlfriend, Weiss had a different method of attack.

Once the initial giggles from exposing Blake's weakest spot had died down, Weiss let the girl catch her breath. The heiress kept her legs clamped firmly on the girl's arms and trailed her hands lightly down Blake's spine, just barely enough to tickle, but nothing too extreme.

She traveled up and down slowly, meticulously, making Blake wait unknowingly for when or where her next strike would be.

Weiss went up and down a few more times, feeling the girl's ribcage expand and deflate with every feather-light press of her fingers until she paused at Blake's hips.

A tactic she had picked up from one of Yang and Ruby's spats made itself known and Weiss suddenly plunged her fingers into Blake's sides in a jumpstart, again laughing at the jolting reaction she received.

"You picked the wrong girlfriend to tickle," Weiss said, voice purposefully breathy as she leaned down over the girl's heaving back.

There was one more spot she wanted to try.

. . .

**The brief respite when** Weiss' attack halted was torture, and her breath came in pants muffled into the sheets. The soft ghosting of her nails up and down her spine that followed made Blake shiver, but it wasn't enough to cause laughter - a tease Weiss seemed hellbent on enjoying to the fullest.

She couldn't help the sharp inhale whenever Weiss' fingers traveled too close to the back of her neck, but for the most part, her embarrassing tendencies remained in check. It was clear Weiss was toying with her, and Blake wasn't about to stand for that. Well, figuratively, of course.

"Weiss - I swear, once I'm free, you're-" Another embarrassing squeak escaped when Weiss poked her fingers into her sides, the action sending a jolt up her sides. Her cheeks flushed red. "Weiss!"

She strained her neck to look behind her, but she could barely make out Weiss' form on her back out of the corner of her eye. Blake knew she had power on her side, and when she squirmed she could feel Weiss shift with her, but it wasn't enough to free her arms. If worse came to worst though, Blake wasn't going to sit idly by. She'd throw all of her strength into one last ditch effort, consequences be damned.

. . .

"You're precious, Belladonna." Weiss laughed, pressing a hand between the girl's shoulder blades to keep her in place. Weiss wasn't finished with her yet.

She leaned forward, stretching her arms out as she ran her nails up Blake's sides again, feeling the pattern of her ribs as Blake shuddered beneath her touch. Keeping her weight balanced on Blake's lower back, Weiss took the liberty of going down to her girlfriend's waist again and wiggling her fingers.

Once she'd had her fill of Blake's little squirms and struggles, Weiss went back to the nape of her neck one more time. She ghosted her nails there before brushing Blake's hair aside and pressing a kiss to her skin.

Now for the final attack.

Weiss leaned down, her stomach on Blake's back now as her arms snaked around to the fronts of her girlfriend's shoulders. "You'll have to forgive me for playing this card," She murmured into her ear.

Weiss dragged her palms over Blake's cheeks and then up to her temples and the sides of her head. She found the soft layers of black fur which she sought, and with almost non-existent pressure, moved her fingers to the insides of Blake's ears. The fur there was a lighter color and twice as soft as the outsides.

Also twice as sensitive.

Weiss ran her nails lightly along the feathery linings of the insides of Blake's ears, her chin resting atop the girl's head. A satisfied smirk settled on the heiress' lips in knowing she was the only person in the world who got the privilege to do this. Though she did abuse that privilege sometimes.

. . .

**Blake had prepared herself** for the worst, steeled her nerves to nothing short of platinum. The touches to the back of her neck had her nervous, muscles clenching in anticipation for the next strike, but the kiss pressed to her neck seconds later left her optimistically confused.

When Weiss' weight settled fully against her back, the slight purr had already started despite her initial resistance. It came automatically no matter how hard she tried to stop it, the feather-like touch nearly killing, and she all but melted under Weiss' hands, limbs going limp.

Even when Weiss' fingers trailed over the soft fur inside, the most she let out was a tiny giggle, ears flicking at the light touch. She wasn't sure whether Weiss was disappointed with the reaction - whether she was expecting something a little more lively, but Blake was honestly too amused to care.

It was a few more moments until Blake decided to bring the situation back under her control. She used all of her strength to roll, gently knocking Weiss off her back and freeing her arms, quickly moving atop Weiss. She trapped the heiress between her arms, one on either side of her head, but otherwise Weiss was relatively free to move.

Blake tried her best to sound menacing, powerful, and in control, but the purr still rumbling in the back of her throat, the tussled hair, and the flush glowing red across her cheeks probably crushed any hope for that.

"You haven't won this one, Schnee." She grinned, yet even that she had trouble with, and it crumbled into a goofy smile. Not laughing was difficult, but at least she managed that.

. . .

Weiss felt she had had her fill of domestic tickling torment and didn't resist when she felt herself being rolled over. Blake settled on top of her, and Weiss caught her breath, biting her lip as she tried not to laugh at the girl's disheveled appearance. The purrs that kept slipping past her lips were too much though, and Weiss caved before very long.

"Oh, I'm _terrified_." She feigned a gasp. "The big bad Blake Belladonna isn't going to show any mercy this time, is she? Oh, what will I do? What can I say that will beg her to spare me?" The purr grew louder, and Weiss ducked her face into the side of the pillow to stifle the laughter.

"Come here." She couldn't hold back any longer and reached up to interlock her fingers behind the back of the girl's neck. Slowly, she drew her girlfriend downward to rest on top of her, cradling Blake's head to her collar as she felt the pleasantly-familiar vibrations of a purr spreading throughout her chest and delving into Weiss' own.

She kissed between Blake's ears, rubbing them gently in apology for the tickle attacks.

"Ugh, I'm so sore. My ribs are _killing_ me…" she grumbled with a huff. "I hope you'll take responsibility for this." She moved her hands up and down Blake's shoulders, waiting for their excited pulses to slow together.

. . .

**So, mission to appear intimidating** was a failure, but the resulting action wasn't without some reward as Weiss tugged her down and into a welcome embrace.

Blake couldn't help the laugh that escaped, echoing Weiss when the ridiculousness of it all had become too hilarious to ignore and she shifted to settle on Weiss' right side, a habit that would be rather difficult to break even now that all their injuries were almost fully healed. Her head rested near Weiss' collar, one arm draped across the girl's stomach.

"Responsibility?" She purred, the aches slowly prickling to life in her body as well. "As I recall, this was all your fault. In fact, I don't think I ever heard an apology." She snickered softly to herself, wrapping her arms around Weiss and squeezing softly. "No mercy," she teased, tilting her head up to brush her lips against the underside of Weiss' jaw.

. . .

"Excuse me? You tickled me first," Weiss muttered. "So unfortunately, you won't be hearing an apology from me. Instead, I'll just buy you ten tuna sandwiches, all right?" She looked to her side to face Blake, sliding one arm beneath the girl's head so Weiss could run fingers through her hair.

She glanced absentmindedly at the clock on the bedside table and let out a grunt. "Were we supposed to go to class today? I can't remember… Oh well. We can go grab some food later, perhaps."

Weiss rubbed one hand over the back of Blake's shoulder, bringing her free hand to the front of the other, knowing they were sore after all of the movement they'd just engaged in. She turned slightly onto her side and closed her eyes, letting the feeling of the soft mattress and blankets absorb into her skin. She was still for a few moments, simply enjoying the feeling of Blake's presence, listening to her breathing mixed with a few purrs here and there.

"Blake," she mumbled. "You're also going to have to take responsibility for my grades, because I don't think I'm ever going back to classes at this rate."

. . .

**Blake chuckled, the scolding** sliding off her skin without any real weight. They didn't have any classes to attend until next week, but in the scheme of things, all that boiled down to was two days. The weekend actually, and after that it would be back to the monotony of the daily grind - something Blake had no desire to return to if she was being completely honest.

She had grown used to this - this closeness, and while she didn't think it would disappear once the stress of classes came rushing back, it would be missed.

"I warned you," Blake muttered, trying to lift the blame even as Weiss closed her eyes. "I warned you that I was going to be a horrible influence. It's your fault for giving in." She exhaled, stretching out tired muscles, and then settled closer to Weiss. Before she could think about it, she brought up a hand to brush away the hair that had fallen across Weiss' face.

"But if you're so set on compensation, then I'm willing to lend you a hand. The text books are all horribly biased anyways."

. . .

Weiss raised an eager eyebrow at the word 'compensation' as Blake snuggled closer.

"I'd like some compensation very much," Weiss breathed against her lips. She cupped the Faunus girl's cheeks and brought her close, allowing her eyelashes to tickle eskimo kisses along Blake's soft skin.

Then, she indulged herself in those familiar lips, feeling Blake's purr hard against her pulse. Weiss let Blake have her fill as well, knowing full-well this was one of their last days to be completely alone together.

Luckily for her, Blake seemed eager to give compensation in that form.

. . .

**"That, I can do,"**Blake purred, locking her arms around Weiss' torso and deepening the kiss, working her lips slowly over Weiss'. Weiss' heart thrummed softly against her chest, flitting beneath the vibrations rolling up Blake's throat.

Gradually, the kisses slowed, and the pulse soon followed. Before Blake knew it, Weiss was quiet and still, eyes closed in relaxation as she succumbed to a small nap.

Blake yawned at the sight of her, the absolute picture of comfort, in spite of a few residual aches, but the idea of a nap was certainly enticing.

So she closed her eyes and curled up on Weiss' collar, the purr still persisting even after her consciousness faded.

* * *

**A/N: Fluffy tickles, my favorite plotline ever.**

**To contrast this nonsense chapter, one more chapter to go, a bit more hurt/comfort.**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Final chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 8.

They lazed around a while longer until the afternoon, where they finally opted to shower, only to slip back into their sleepwear afterward. They snacked on the food they kept in the room, and Weiss opted to make Blake a cup of tea.

They spoiled one another in little ways until their partners came back. Evidently, Ruby and Yang planned to go out early the next morning, so they crawled up to their beds to sleep early for once, and before long, Weiss found herself sitting on Blake's bed once again, leaning onto her shoulder and dozing lightly as the Faunus girl read her book.

"Let me know whenever you want to sleep," she murmured, slipping an arm across her girlfriend's stomach.

. . .

**Blake hummed, an idle** acknowledgement in the back of her throat as she turned the page of her book. She looked down when she felt an arm drape across her stomach. Weiss' eyes were drooping, fighting against the strain of dreariness, and Blake threaded her fingers through that hand.

"Soon," she murmured, careful not to disturb the two other occupants. "Just let me finish this chapter."

It was a few minutes before the final words drifted through her vision and the book closed for the night. She stretched to place it back on the nightstand, making sure it was safe and secure on the surface. The light switch was flicked off, the loss plunging the room into darkness.

Squirming, Blake reached for Weiss, searching even when she didn't need to. Weiss hadn't moved, was still leaning against her shoulder with that same tired face. It was probably just the rain. An insistent pattering against the windowpane that Blake had never really been fond of, and with the book out of the way, the noise jumped to the forefront of her mind.

"Sleep now," she said, tugging a rather sleepy Weiss down with her as she drew up the covers. She pulled Weiss close to her, the feeling and weight grounding in the murkiness that settled around them.

. . .

"Mm, good night," Weiss mumbled as she settled into position at Blake's side. She slid in to kiss her cheek softly. A yawn, and her mind slipped to the border of unconsciousness, though it didn't cross the line just yet.

She lay contentedly for a while, listening to the hissing of the rain, but that didn't compare to the faint purrs rumbling beneath her ear as she curled into Blake's collar. She pulled Blake's waist close and squeezed her beneath the blankets, sighing as the familiar scent and warmth enveloped her.

It was just when she was about to fall asleep when she started to feel something was… off.

Blake's purrs cut off abruptly and her body twitched in small jolts as she slept. Her heart started to pound, and Weiss felt nails dig into her back.

"Blake…?" She whispered, drawing back slowly to glimpse her face, only to find it beaded with sweat. "Blake-?" Her voice rose a bit in panic and she rubbed the girl's back, debating whether she should wake her or not.

Weiss reached one hand up to Blake's forehead and emitted a light flow of her aura to cool her down, praying whatever ailed her would soon pass.

. . .

**The dreams were thick and clinging,** tendrils of long forgotten fears sticking to her skin in the night; like being dragged under the surface just long enough to choke on that first swallow before being pulled back up again.

She saw Adam, familiar despite the time - the distance - figure soaked in the downpour falling from between the fire escapes. Red and seeping, he looked as if someone had pulled him from the trash heap where he had first found her, shoved him to the ground and left him to rot in the sewage that bubbled up from the underground.

She tried to pull him out, but the grime was dense, consuming, appearing as if to swallow him whole back down into the underbelly from where he came - from where they both came.

She saw Weiss, cold despite the closeness, the life missing from her eyes. White and chilled, she was sprawled unmoving between sheets, ignorant of the pleading falling silently from Blake's lips - fists wrapped tight in the folds of her white dress. Begging that if she asked nicely enough, apologized for what she had done, Weiss would come back to her.

But the body held sure within her grasp vanished, melted between her fingertips, and the sudden emptiness slithering up her spine curled around her throat, the pressure slowly rising until there was nothing but the darkness and the soft patter of the rain on glass.

The murkiness of the dorm room materialized slowly, the soft strokes of a hand rubbing up and down her back bring her back to reality. Blake breathed out shakily, lungs tight and heavy. Her hands hurt, their death grip on Weiss' nightgown the cause, but she didn't dare let go.

. . .

Weiss swallowed thickly, almost choking on it and needing to force it down. Blake's condition only seemed to worsen with every passing second, and it scared her. Before long, she was crying, increasing the flow of her aura as she looked up at the girl's face in the darkness. The outlines of her ears were flat against her scalp and she was shaking, so vulnerable to her nightmares that it had Weiss fearing for her safety.

The nails in her back were sharp, but the pain only demonstrated how desperate Blake was for purchase to channel the agony she was suffering - how terrifying the nightmares were.

"Blake…" she sobbed, begging. "B-Blake, please wake up…" Her hands were weak now as she trembled, scared for the Faunus girl as the rain continued to hiss.

A small sound reached her ears - it sounded strangled, but it was a sound of awakening. Weiss looked up sharply to see amber eyes crack open. Relief washed over her, mixed with so many other things.

"Blake…" she sighed. "Your heart's so fast. It's okay, I promise." Sniffling, Weiss shifted herself, moving up so she could press her lips to the girl's forehead, then lightly over her lips as Blake struggled for breath.

She pulled Blake's head to her chest, willing her to stop shaking so badly. She wanted Blake to know she was there - for her.

"It's okay…" The hands at her back slowly, slowly uncurled. "You're okay, Blake. I'm here. Just breathe…"

. . .

**Her arms wrapped** firmly around Weiss, pulse thundering in her ears. She buried her face in the crook of Weiss' neck, the familiarity comforting despite the fear that lingered like an old wound too stubborn to heal. It left her ragged, her recuperating body unable to cope with the worst of the recoil, and she shivered in Weiss' arms.

It had been awhile since the nightmares had been this bad. Small fever dreams brought on by stress during the years, but carefully-planned distance kept others from noticing. She didn't need the pity; she didn't deserve it.

And yet Blake pressed closer now, the image of lifeless white still so real it felt suffocating. She couldn't get her hands to let go, but they loosened at the sound of Weiss' voice.

"Sorry, I-" She choked, her voice a rasp as she tried to breathe in between fading tremors. "I didn't mean to wake you up..."

. . .

Weiss' heart sank when the first words out of Blake's lips were an apology. She'd never been so close to another person, never felt someone else's fragility so clearly-

-never heard someone collapsing as they slowly came apart from the inside out.

It was terrifying.

"Shh…" She stroked Blake's hair gingerly, easing her fingertips over the fur of her ears and coaxing them to loosen. Her other hand went down to Blake's shoulders, rubbing circles slowly in contrast to the girl's speeding pulse. "Don't apologize. It's all right, Blake. Everything's all right." She kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips again, then back up between her ears.

"...You can tell me if you'd like. If you need to talk about it, I'm here. Or not. Whatever you want, so long as you're okay."

She pulled Blake in as tightly as she dared, pressing herself against the girl's pounding chest to keep her frantic heart from bursting out. She kissed her head again, breathing deeply as she finally started to calm down, willing Blake to do the same.

. . .

**Blake stayed silent,** Weiss' words of encouragement sifting through her ears like a pleasant breeze. Weiss was solid against her, a point of stability in a darkness that was frightening more than it should be.

Then again, it wasn't really the darkness, but what would be gone when she opened her eyes.

She buried her head in Weiss' collar, breathing in the familiarity she had perhaps grown too attached to over the last few weeks. It was more than she could have ever hoped for, but she had forgotten just how hard one could fall when in love. And how easy it would be to lose it.

"Just nightmares," she mumbled into Weiss' skin, her throat closing before she had the chance to elaborate. The time she spent with the White Fang wasn't exactly something she wanted to bring up again.

. . .

"All right... I understand. Shh, it's okay," Weiss murmured. "You don't have to say anything else." She hushed her, pressing kisses to each of her ears, then trailing down her temples and to her forehead, rubbing the girl's back all the while.

She could tell the sound of the rain was affecting Blake, and Weiss opted to eliminate the issue as best she could manage.

Cradling Blake's head to her chest as she continued petting through her hair, Weiss began to sing softly.

Her voice was soothing. An soft hum that was a welcome distraction to the rain steadily falling outside. A healing kind of lullaby.

. . .

**Blake focused on her, **on Weiss' words, and eventually she felt her heart slow. It was a steady beat, pounding, every thud pushing against her chest, but soon that faded too.

There was a certain tranquility in the silence that followed, when words themselves weren't needed and the comfort Weiss offered was all-encompassing.

Blake owed her an explanation - there was no escaping that - it was merely finding the strength to explain. To face whatever came afterward with nothing but acceptance. She could do that.

"Thank you." It was a whisper as Weiss pulled her closer, the soft brush of lips over her brow a caress. "For everything, Weiss."

. . .

Weiss hummed, glad to hear Blake speaking normally again.

"All right. You hush now." Weiss scolded her gently as she continued rubbing Blake's back in soothing motions.

She wished this could be it. She wished her song could've cured Blake's nightmares and prevented any future ones. She wished all of the girl's fears and insecurities and pain would go away and that all the bad things could simply be wiped from her mind. She wished Blake wouldn't have to suffer in remembering any longer.

But Weiss was no angel, and she knew it was impossible. These things would take time to heal, if they could heal at all.

Weiss sniffled, resting her chin atop Blake's head, noticing her ears were still flattened.

"I'm sorry. I wish… I could take half your pain, or something. I don't want you to be alone with this…" She could feel more tears dripping down, ashamed that she couldn't do more. "But I'll… I'll be here from now on, as best I can for you."

. . .

**Blake exhaled shakily,** her insides bubbling uncomfortably when she heard the near silent fall of Weiss' tears - the muttered assurances. It was almost enough to make Blake falter.

"It isn't something I want you to bear, Weiss. I did-" Her voice hitched and she swallowed. When she forced herself to continue, her words didn't make it above a whisper. As if that would lessen their weight.

"I did some really terrible things back then." Her hands tightened again, fingernails pinching the skin of her palms even despite Weiss' nightgown crumpled in her grasp. "I was naive, impressionable, and _so_ ready for change."

. . .

"And do you honestly think you were the only one?" Weiss challenged softly. "You weren't. Others made the same mistakes, on top of much worse ones. And it wasn't just the Faunus of the White Fang; my family has done some pretty terrible things as well, even beyond the extent which you know."

She continued holding Blake, gently but firmly in case she needed to pull away for whatever reason. Weiss was just glad she'd stopped shaking.

Blake needed her right now. She kissed her girlfriend's head again.

"Whatever you did, it's in the past. You don't have to go back there, Blake. You're here now with us - with _me_ \- and that's where you're going to stay from now on."

. . .

**She felt Weiss shudder,** and Blake couldn't believe she had almost forgotten the atrocities Weiss must have seen while at home and in her father's care. How it had shaped who she was, and ultimately how she changed.

The scar on Weiss' face only served to prove just how strong she was. Immovable sometimes in her stubbornness, but where it counted, Weiss was steadfast in her resolve, always there when it mattered most.

It was herself who she was worried about, fluttering between past relationships whose past ties outweighed their benefit, and the stability she craved like a drug. Running had become instinctual more than Blake cared to admit.

"How can you be so sure?" she muttered, hiding her face. "How can you be so sure all of this isn't going to fall apart one day?"

. . .

Weiss felt a pang go through her heart when Blake challenged her like that, challenged her affections.

Of course, when Weiss had imagined being together with her, and then when she'd actually confessed, she'd thought about the possible outcomes, how they might not be together forever in that way. It would hurt them both, but that possibility existed; she couldn't ignore it, so she steeled herself to accept it as best she could.

"I'm not sure," she murmured. "I'm not sure if all of this will fall through. But even if we're not together like we want to be, we'll still always be teammates. I won't forget the time I spent together with you, the things you taught me, how you did nothing but change my life for the better. I won't forget how I love you, and how you love me."

She squeezed her again, protectively, as if challenging more hurtful thoughts to try and attack Blake, because the heiress knew they'd would fend them off. Together.

"But… there's no way I _can_ be sure. That's the truth, and you deserve nothing _but_ the truth; even if it might hurt, it's better than a pretty lie."

She pulled back slightly to find Blake's eyes as she spoke her next words:

"But you can be sure… that I'll do my _damnedest_ to make this work for you - for _us_. I'm going to do everything within my power and then some so long as it means I can keep you by my side, Blake Belladonna."

. . .

**Her ears flicked forward,** her name falling from Weiss' lips firm and without doubt. It made her heart ache, this deep rooted-pain that was so close to pleasure that it may as well have been.

Blue eyes were alight in the dark, and Blake found that it didn't take much to get lost in them. She wanted to.

Blake leaned forward, capturing Weiss' lips. The touch was yearning, almost desperate, her hands uncurling from their grasp on Weiss' nightgown to thread through the hair at the nape of Weiss' neck. Her grip was gentle, hesitant even, and when Blake pulled away it almost felt like she could lose it all.

But Weiss was here, close to her and alive and so damn beautiful in so many ways that Blake smiled. A weak little thing, but a smile all the same, and she pulled herself forward again, pressing another quick kiss to the side of Weiss' mouth before tangling herself in limbs and sheets, taking without shame the contact she craved.

"I think I like you, Weiss," she muttered into Weiss' skin. "I think I like you a lot."

. . .

She welcomed the kiss with open arms - both literally and figuratively. Her fingers weaved through Blake's silky black hair, nails occasionally brushing over the fur of her ears as the rain gradually slowed and became quiet. The storm didn't matter anymore. Nothing else mattered anymore. Only Blake.

She indulged herself in those lips with great care and gentle passion, needing Blake to know she was here for her and always would be. She was glad the Faunus girl was feeling better now, even if it was just a bit. She never wanted to see or feel Blake come undone like that again, but if she had to, she'd be there to support her.

Weiss whimpered when Blake pulled away, a silent inquiry as to ask whether or not she was all right. A small peck to the chin reassured her though, and she squeezed the small of Blake's back tightly and breathed a sigh of relief. Their heartbeats were fast and hard against each other, but it wasn't because of pain or fear anymore; it was love.

Weiss blinked away a few more tears - happy ones - as she nuzzled Blake's cheek, chuckling softly.

"I have a confession. I think I like you a lot, as well. No…" She kissed Blake's forehead with a smile. "I _know_ it."

. . .

**A warmth bloomed in her chest** the moment Weiss kissed her forehead, spread to the tips of her fingers, her toes, and she tugged Weiss closer. Blake wanted to etch the sound of Weiss' laughter into her bones, an ever present reminder of the happiness they had acquired so awkwardly. Blake wouldn't trade it for the world, and a tired sigh escaped her lips as she hugged Weiss to her.

She tried not to think about morning, about letting go and all that entailed. Instead she focused on the body against hers, the soft rise and fall of Weiss' chest, the hands at her back, all of it. The security she felt right now. She hoped it never left.

"I love you," Blake said, and she hoped she would always have the opportunity to continue to say those words. To remind Weiss just how much all of this meant.

There would always be that possibility of failure; Blake knew that more than anyone.

But in no way did it mean an end to possibility.

It simply meant there were things they could work on. Together.

. . .

It was nice to be able to fall asleep to the feeling that everything was all right. It was a reassurance Weiss was sure not she nor Blake had experienced for a long, long time until now.

She wanted Blake to feel that way forever, knowing she would always hope the same for Weiss. Whatever insecurities caught up to them, they would get better with the acceptance of the other. Wounds both physical and emotional would heal with time and love, and between them, there was enough of both to go around.

There would be trials ahead, but neither of them would have to face them alone. Never again.

Because they had each other.

* * *

**A/N: And at last, another old roleplay completed in fanfic form! Thanks so much to whomever finished reading all the way through!**

**Please review!**


End file.
